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Shaler Family History

Shaler Surname Meaning

English (Middlesex): nickname for someone with a limp or a shambling gait from Middle English shailard, a side form of shailere ‘one who limps or shambles’ with the pejorative suffix -ard.

A possible alternative origin, however, is Old French eschaillier ‘oyster seller’ though there is no evidence for this in Middle English: the source verb eschaillier ‘to take the husk or shell off (something)’ ‘to shell oysters’ is paralleled in Middle English shalen.

This might have given rise to a noun shaler perhaps meaning ‘thresher’ or ‘oyster seller’ but it is not attested.

This surname is now rare in Britain.

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


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Where is the Shaler family from?

You can see how Shaler families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shaler family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shaler families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 4 Shaler families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 40% of all the recorded Shaler's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Shaler families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shaler 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 Shaler ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Shaler. 43% of Shaler men worked as a Labourer.

View Census Data for Shaler | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Labourer
    43%
  • Farmer
    29%
  • Laborer
    29%

What Shaler family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Shaler. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shaler census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Shaler

Passenger Lists

There are 596 immigration records available for the last name Shaler. 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 Shaler immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Shaler. For the veterans among your Shaler ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shaler military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shaler family history

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What is the average Shaler lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Shaler life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Shaler in 1958 was 53, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shaler

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shaler 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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