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Purter Family History

Purter Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Porter, Purser, Putter, Hurter, Purtee, Turner, Peter, Burger, Hutter

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Purter family from?

You can see how Purter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Purter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 2 Purter families living in Alberta. This was about 67% of all the recorded Purter's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Purter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purter 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 Purter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Machinist and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Purter. 20% of Purter men worked as a Machinist and 64% of Purter women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Purter were Farmer and Maid.

View Census Data for Purter | 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

  • Machinist
    20%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Truck Driver
    15%
  • Farmer
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    64%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Maid
    19%

What Purter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 582 census records available for the last name Purter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Purter

Passenger Lists

There are 79 immigration records available for the last name Purter. 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 Purter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 61 military records available for the last name Purter. For the veterans among your Purter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purter family history

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What is the average Purter lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Purter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Purter in 1946 was 26, and 92 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Purter 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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