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Gelder Family History

Gelder Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire): in northern England usually a variant of Geldard, an occupational name from Middle English gelde ‘sterile barren’ used as a noun to denote ‘gelded cattle’ + Old English hierde, hence ‘herdman who tends the gelded cattle’. English: alternatively perhaps an occupational name from Middle English gelder(e) ‘gelder castrator (of livestock)’.

English: variant of Gilder. Dutch and German: habitational name from the Dutch province of Gelderland or from Geldern in northwestern Germany (see Geller).

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


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Where is the Gelder family from?

You can see how Gelder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gelder family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gelder families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 4 Gelder families living in Ontario. This was about 40% of all the recorded Gelder's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gelder families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gelder 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 Gelder ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gelder. 15% of Gelder men worked as a Salesman and 16% of Gelder women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gelder were Clerk and Teacher.

View Census Data for Gelder | 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

  • Salesman
    15%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Clerk
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    16%
  • Maid
    13%
  • Saleslady
    13%
  • Teacher
    13%

What Gelder family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Gelder. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gelder census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gelder

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Gelder. 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 Gelder immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Gelder. For the veterans among your Gelder ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gelder military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gelder family history

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What is the average Gelder lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Gelder life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1993, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Gelder in 1963 was 69, and 58 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gelder

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gelder 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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