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Grefe Family History

Grefe Surname Meaning

North German: variant of Graf.

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 Grefe family from?

You can see how Grefe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grefe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Grefe families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there was 1 Grefe family living in Manitoba. This was about 50% of all the recorded Grefe's in Canada. Manitoba and 1 other province had the highest population of Grefe families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grefe 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 Grefe ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housemaid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Grefe. 22% of Grefe men worked as a Farmer and 40% of Grefe women worked as a Housemaid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grefe were Clerk and Housework.

View Census Data for Grefe | 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
    22%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housemaid
    40%
  • Maid
    20%
  • House Maid
    20%
  • Housework
    20%

What Grefe family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Grefe

Passenger Lists

There are 770 immigration records available for the last name Grefe. 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 Grefe immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 626 military records available for the last name Grefe. For the veterans among your Grefe ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grefe military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grefe family history

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What is the average Grefe lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Grefe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Grefe in 1947 was 38, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grefe

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Grefe 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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