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Pfeiffer Family History

Pfeiffer Name Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from an agent derivative of Middle High German pfīf(e) German Pfeife ‘pipe’ hence an occupational name for a piper whistler. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine) the Netherlands Denmark and some other European countries; see also 2 below. Compare Fifer Peifer Pfeifer and Pfieffer . Germanized form of various Slavic adaptations of the German surname (see 1 above) such as Slovenian Fajfar and Pfajfar Czech Fajfr and Faifr. Compare Fifer .

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


Similar surnames: Pfeffer, Pfiffner, Pfeifle, Pfeiler, Preiser, Schiffer, Feiner

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Where is the Pfeiffer family from?

You can see how Pfeiffer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pfeiffer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pfeiffer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 11 Pfeiffer families living in Ontario. This was about 30% of all the recorded Pfeiffer's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Pfeiffer families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pfeiffer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Pfeiffer ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Pfeiffer. 59% of Pfeiffer men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Pfeiffer | 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

  • Farmer
    59%
  • Moulder
    25%
  • Labourer
    17%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Pfeiffer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 60,000 census records available for the last name Pfeiffer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pfeiffer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Pfeiffer

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Pfeiffer. 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 Pfeiffer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 31,000 military records available for the last name Pfeiffer. For the veterans among your Pfeiffer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Pfeiffer lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Pfeiffer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Pfeiffer in 1944 was 25, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pfeiffer

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