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Decatur Family History

Decatur Surname Meaning

Probably an Americanized form of Dutch De Kater ‘the tomcat’ (see Kater) a metaphoric nickname or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house or inn so named.

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


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Where is the Decatur family from?

You can see how Decatur families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Decatur family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Decatur families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 4 Decatur families living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Decatur's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Decatur families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Decatur 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 Decatur ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Decatur. 26% of Decatur men worked as a Laborer and 22% of Decatur women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Decatur were New Worker and Packer.

View Census Data for Decatur | 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
    26%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • New Worker
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    22%
  • Waitress
    11%
  • Maid
    11%
  • Packer
    8%

What Decatur family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Decatur. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Decatur census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Decatur

Passenger Lists

There are 283 immigration records available for the last name Decatur. 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 Decatur immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Decatur. For the veterans among your Decatur ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Decatur military records

You've only scratched the surface of Decatur family history

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What is the average Decatur lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Decatur life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Decatur in 1947 was 28, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Decatur

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Decatur 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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