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Grabe Family History

Grabe Surname Meaning

German: topographic name for someone who lived by a dike or ditch (see Grab) or a habitational name from either of two places in Thuringia named with this word Grabe and Graba.

Metonymic occupational name from Middle High German grabe ‘spade’ for the manufacturer or a person who works with it.

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 Grabe family from?

You can see how Grabe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grabe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grabe families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 7 Grabe families living in Ontario. This was about 58% of all the recorded Grabe's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Grabe families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grabe 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 Grabe ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Grabe. 24% of Grabe men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Grabe women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grabe were Mechanic and Clerk.

View Census Data for Grabe | 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
    24%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Proprietor
    7%
  • Mechanic
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    20%
  • Housekeeper
    16%
  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Clerk
    12%

What Grabe family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Grabe. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Grabe census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Grabe

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Grabe. 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 Grabe immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Grabe military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grabe family history

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What is the average Grabe lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Grabe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Grabe in 1962 was 57, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grabe

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Grabe 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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