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Schelm Family History

Schelm 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: Schelp, Schemm, Schelb, Schell, Helm, Schenk, Schei, Scholl, Schild

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Schelm family from?

You can see how Schelm families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Schelm family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Schelm families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 8 Schelm families living in Illinois. This was about 50% of all the recorded Schelm's in USA. Illinois and 1 other state had the highest population of Schelm families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Schelm 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 Schelm ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Schelm. 70% of Schelm men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Schelm women worked as a Bookkeeper.

View Census Data for Schelm | 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
    70%
  • Farm Laborer
    16%
  • Farm Hand
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Bookkeeper
    100%

What Schelm family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 521 census records available for the last name Schelm. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Schelm census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Schelm

Passenger Lists

There are 134 immigration records available for the last name Schelm. 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 Schelm immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 168 military records available for the last name Schelm. For the veterans among your Schelm ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Schelm military records

You've only scratched the surface of Schelm family history

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What is the average Schelm lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Schelm life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Schelm in 1963 was 82, and 66 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Schelm

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Schelm 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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