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Purk Family History

Purk Surname Meaning

Altered form of German Burk

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Purk family from?

You can see how Purk families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purk family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Purk families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 5 Purk families living in Ontario. This was about 63% of all the recorded Purk's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Purk families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purk 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 Purk ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Purk. 35% of Purk men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Purk women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Purk were Salesman and Bookkeeper.

View Census Data for Purk | 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
    35%
  • Laborer
    32%
  • Farming
    11%
  • Salesman
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    60%
  • Bookkeeper
    40%

What Purk family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Purk

Passenger Lists

There are 227 immigration records available for the last name Purk. 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 Purk immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 284 military records available for the last name Purk. For the veterans among your Purk ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purk military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purk family history

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What is the average Purk lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Purk life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Purk in 1954 was 44, and 58 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purk

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purk 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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