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Mercer Family History

Mercer Surname Meaning

English and Catalan: occupational name for a merchant from Old French mercier merchier (see Mercier).

In Middle English the term was applied particularly to someone who dealt in textiles, especially the more costly and luxurious fabrics such as silks, satin, and velvet.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Mercer family from?

You can see how Mercer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mercer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mercer families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 249 Mercer families living in Ontario. This was about 52% of all the recorded Mercer's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Mercer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mercer 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 Mercer ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Mercer. 27% of Mercer men worked as a Farmer and 13% of Mercer women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mercer were Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Mercer | 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
    27%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    6%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    13%
  • Saleslady
    10%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    8%

What Mercer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 291,000 census records available for the last name Mercer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mercer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Mercer

Passenger Lists

There are 31,000 immigration records available for the last name Mercer. 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 Mercer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 42,000 military records available for the last name Mercer. For the veterans among your Mercer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mercer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mercer family history

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What is the average Mercer lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Mercer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Mercer in 1940 was 34, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mercer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mercer 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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