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Defer Family History

Defer Surname Meaning

Altered form of French Dufour.

French (northern): nickname from de fer ‘of iron’ probably for someone who was inflexible or remarkably tough.

English (Middlesex): variant of Differ a Scottish name of uncertain meaning.

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


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Where is the Defer family from?

You can see how Defer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Defer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Defer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 8 Defer families living in Quebec. This was about 89% of all the recorded Defer's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Defer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Defer 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 Defer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Seamstress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Defer. 38% of Defer men worked as a Laborer and 37% of Defer women worked as a Seamstress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Defer were Mechanic and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Defer | 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
    38%
  • Farmer
    30%
  • Carpenter
    17%
  • Mechanic
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Seamstress
    37%
  • Waitress
    28%
  • Bookkeeper
    19%
  • Stenographer
    19%

What Defer family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Defer

Passenger Lists

There are 337 immigration records available for the last name Defer. 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 Defer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 622 military records available for the last name Defer. For the veterans among your Defer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Defer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Defer family history

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What is the average Defer lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Defer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Defer in 1957 was 49, and 63 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Defer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Defer 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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