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Purl Family History

Purl Surname Meaning

English (Essex): variant of Pearl.

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 Purl family from?

You can see how Purl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purl family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Purl families were found in and USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 5 Purl families living in Nova Scotia. This was 100% of all the recorded Purl's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Purl families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purl 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 Purl ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Purl. 25% of Purl men worked as a Farmer and 67% of Purl women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Purl were Salesman and Farm.

View Census Data for Purl | 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
    25%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Farming
    13%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    67%
  • Farm
    34%

What Purl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Purl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Purl

Passenger Lists

There are 179 immigration records available for the last name Purl. 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 Purl immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 534 military records available for the last name Purl. For the veterans among your Purl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purl military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purl family history

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What is the average Purl lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Purl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1983, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Purl in 1962 was 71, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purl

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purl 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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