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Palka Family History

Palka Surname Meaning

Polish (Pałka) and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic; also Pałka): from Polish pałka ‘truncheon club’ used as a nickname applied either to a thin or stiff person or to one who used a truncheon as a weapon.

Slovak (mainly Pálka): from páľka ‘quantity of products fired at one time’ or ‘burning pottery products in the furnace’ probably used as a metonymic occupational name (for a potter).

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


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Where is the Palka family from?

You can see how Palka families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Palka family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Palka families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 6 Palka families living in Iowa. This was about 60% of all the recorded Palka's in USA. Iowa had the highest population of Palka families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Palka 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 Palka ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Palka. 50% of Palka men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Palka | 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
    50%
  • Labourer
    50%

What Palka family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Palka. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Palka census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Palka

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Palka military records

You've only scratched the surface of Palka family history

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What is the average Palka lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Palka life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Palka in 1944 was 53, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Palka

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Palka 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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