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Sterken Family History

Sterken Surname Meaning

Dutch: patronymic from De Sterke or Sterke, a nickname for a strong person from sterk ‘strong’.

South German (Bavaria): nickname for a short person from a dialect word meaning ‘stalk, stub, stump’.

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


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Where is the Sterken family from?

You can see how Sterken families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sterken family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Sterken families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 13 Sterken families living in Michigan. This was 100% of all the recorded Sterken's in USA. Michigan had the highest population of Sterken families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sterken 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 Sterken ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Sterken. 46% of Sterken men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Sterken | 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

  • Laborer
    46%
  • Farmer
    37%
  • Sawer
    19%

What Sterken family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 855 census records available for the last name Sterken. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sterken census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Sterken

Passenger Lists

There are 320 immigration records available for the last name Sterken. 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 Sterken immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 184 military records available for the last name Sterken. For the veterans among your Sterken ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sterken military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sterken family history

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What is the average Sterken lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2004, in the United States, Sterken life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Sterken in 1967 was 88, and 89 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sterken

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sterken 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Sterken family tree

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