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Dorch Family History

Dorch Surname Meaning

Scottish: perhaps a nickname from Gaelic dorch ‘dark’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dorch family from?

You can see how Dorch families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dorch family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Dorch families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 2 Dorch families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 50% of all the recorded Dorch's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Dorch families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dorch 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 Dorch ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dorch. 39% of Dorch men worked as a Farmer and 18% of Dorch women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dorch were Machinist and Housewife.

View Census Data for Dorch | 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

  • Farmer
    39%
  • Laborer
    29%
  • Mechanic
    8%
  • Machinist
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    18%
  • Maid
    14%
  • Helper
    11%
  • Housewife
    11%

What Dorch family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Dorch. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dorch census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Dorch

Passenger Lists

There are 257 immigration records available for the last name Dorch. 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 Dorch immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 431 military records available for the last name Dorch. For the veterans among your Dorch ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dorch military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dorch family history

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What is the average Dorch lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Dorch life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1979. The average life expectancy for Dorch in 1951 was 30, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dorch

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dorch 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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