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Polke Family History

Polke Name Meaning

Altered form of Scottish Polk . East German (of Slavic origin): from a Silesian pet form of the Polish personal name Bolesław the name of several Silesian dukes based on the Slavic element bol meaning ‘greater better’ or ‘more’ (from Old Slavic bolъ).

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


Similar surnames: Polk, Polka, Polce, Popke, Pole, Wolke, Pike, Cocke, Mole, Pope

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Polke family from?

You can see how Polke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Polke family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Polke families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 7 Polke families living in British Columbia. This was about 88% of all the recorded Polke's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Polke families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Polke surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Polke ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Polke. 67% of Polke men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Polke women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Polke were Truck Driver and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Polke | 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
    67%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Truck Driver
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    34%
  • Housewife
    34%
  • Waitress
    34%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Polke family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Polke

Passenger Lists

There are 342 immigration records available for the last name Polke. 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 Polke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 542 military records available for the last name Polke. For the veterans among your Polke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Polke military records

You've only scratched the surface of Polke family history

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What is the average Polke lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Polke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Polke in 1955 was 69, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Polke

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