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Melms Family History

Melms Surname Meaning

North German: probably a topographic name from Low German melm ‘dust sand’.

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


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Where is the Melms family from?

You can see how Melms families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Melms family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Melms families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 9 Melms families living in Illinois. This was about 29% of all the recorded Melms's in USA. Illinois had the highest population of Melms families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Melms 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 Melms ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Melms. 32% of Melms men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Melms women worked as a Cook.

View Census Data for Melms | 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
    32%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Carpenter
    19%
  • Clerk
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    100%

What Melms family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Melms. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Melms census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Melms

Passenger Lists

There are 339 immigration records available for the last name Melms. 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 Melms immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Melms. For the veterans among your Melms ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Melms military records

You've only scratched the surface of Melms family history

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What is the average Melms lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Melms life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Melms in 1963 was 65, and 96 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Melms

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Melms 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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