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Harlem Family History

Harlem Name 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: Harle, Harley, Haslem, Harler, Charles, Harvey, Hale, Hare, Hartley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Harlem family from?

You can see how Harlem families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Harlem family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Harlem families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 7 Harlem families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 58% of all the recorded Harlem's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Harlem families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Harlem surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Harlem ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Harlem. 23% of Harlem men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Harlem women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Harlem were Laborer and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Harlem | 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
    23%
  • Farm Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    17%
  • Laborer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    50%
  • Teacher
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Harlem family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Harlem. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Harlem census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Harlem

Passenger Lists

There are 467 immigration records available for the last name Harlem. 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 Harlem immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Harlem. For the veterans among your Harlem ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Harlem military records

You've only scratched the surface of Harlem family history

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What is the average Harlem lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2003, in the United States, Harlem life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Harlem in 1952 was 70, and 63 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Harlem

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Harlem family tree

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