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Martell Family History

Martell Surname Meaning

French: rare southern variant of Martel (compare 2 below) and in North America (also) an altered form of this.

Catalan: nickname for a forceful person or perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a smith from martell ‘hammer’ (from Late Latin martellus; see also Martel).

English (of Norman origin): variant of Martel.

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


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Where is the Martell family from?

You can see how Martell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Martell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Martell families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 338 Martell families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 61% of all the recorded Martell's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Martell families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Martell 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 Martell ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Martell. 30% of Martell men worked as a Farmer and 32% of Martell women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Martell were Fisherman and Labourer.

View Census Data for Martell | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    30%
  • Labourer
    23%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Fisherman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    32%
  • Servant
    23%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Labourer
    9%

What Martell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 41,000 census records available for the last name Martell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Martell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Martell

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Martell. 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 Martell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Martell. For the veterans among your Martell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Martell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Martell family history

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What is the average Martell lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Martell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Martell in 1946 was 61, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Martell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Martell 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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