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Van Gelder Family History

Van Gelder Surname Meaning

Dutch and Jewish (from the Netherlands) is a habitational name for someone from Gelderland in the east-central Netherlands.

It also serves as a habitational name for individuals from Geldern in the Rhineland, Germany.

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


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Where is the Van Gelder family from?

You can see how Van Gelder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Van Gelder family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Van Gelder families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there was 1 Van Gelder family living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Van Gelder's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Van Gelder families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Van Gelder surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What Van Gelder family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Van Gelder. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Van Gelder census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Van Gelder

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Van Gelder. 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 Van Gelder immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 788 military records available for the last name Van Gelder. For the veterans among your Van Gelder ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Van Gelder lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Van Gelder life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1963, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Van Gelder in 1959 was 57, and 91 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Van Gelder 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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