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Perala Family History

Perala Surname Meaning

Finnish (Perälä): habitational name from farms so named from perä ‘end back remote’ + the locative suffix -lä referring to their remote location.

This surname is common in western Finland especially in Ostrobothnia.

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 Perala family from?

You can see how Perala families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perala family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Perala families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 2 Perala families living in British Columbia. This was about 50% of all the recorded Perala's in Canada. British Columbia and 1 other province had the highest population of Perala families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perala 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 Perala ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Secretary were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Perala. 33% of Perala men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Perala women worked as a Secretary. Some less common occupations for Americans named Perala were Labor and Seamstress.

View Census Data for Perala | 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

  • Laborer
    33%
  • Farmer
    22%
  • Miner
    13%
  • Labor
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Secretary
    50%
  • Seamstress
    50%

What Perala family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Perala

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 224 military records available for the last name Perala. For the veterans among your Perala ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Perala military records

You've only scratched the surface of Perala family history

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What is the average Perala lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Perala life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Perala in 1960 was 75, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Perala

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Perala 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Perala family tree

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