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Debes Family History

Debes Surname Meaning

German: variant of Debus. It is also found in France (Alsace).

French (Debès): topographic name with fused preposition de ‘from’ from Occitan bès (from Church Latin bettiu from Gaulish betu) ‘birch tree’.

Alternatively, it can be a habitational name for someone from any of the places called with this word.

There are examples of such locations in Dordogne, Isère, and Puy-de-Dôme.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Debes family from?

You can see how Debes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Debes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Debes families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there was 1 Debes family living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Debes's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Debes families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Debes surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Debes ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Debes. 28% of Debes men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Debes women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Debes were Machinist and Housewife.

View Census Data for Debes | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    28%
  • Farmer
    25%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Machinist
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    34%
  • Beauty Operator
    17%
  • Nurse
    17%
  • Housewife
    17%

What Debes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Debes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Debes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Debes

Passenger Lists

There are 765 immigration records available for the last name Debes. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Debes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 595 military records available for the last name Debes. For the veterans among your Debes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Debes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Debes family history

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What is the average Debes lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Debes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Debes in 1963 was 74, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Debes

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Debes ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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