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Elke Family History

Elke Name Meaning

English (West Midlands): from the Middle English personal name Elke a shortened form of the West Midlands name Elcock (from the Middle English personal name Elcok) or possibly of Elkin each of which are pet forms of Eli(a)s. In early modern English this surname was interchangeable with the more common Elks . German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Alacho a short form of compound names based on the element alah ‘shrine’.

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


Similar surnames: Eike, Belke, Elbe, Oelke, Elk, Welke, Else, Enke, Selke, Eke

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Elke family from?

You can see how Elke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Elke family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Elke families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 12 Elke families living in Minnesota. This was about 41% of all the recorded Elke's in USA. Minnesota had the highest population of Elke families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Elke surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Elke ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Farmwife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Elke. 34% of Elke men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Elke women worked as a Farmwife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Elke were Common Laborer and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Elke | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    34%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Farm Operator
    17%
  • Common Laborer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Farmwife
    60%
  • Stenographer
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Elke family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Elke. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Elke census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Elke

Passenger Lists

There are 414 immigration records available for the last name Elke. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Elke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 371 military records available for the last name Elke. For the veterans among your Elke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Elke military records

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What is the average Elke lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2003, in the United States, Elke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1989, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Elke in 1966 was 84, and 80 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Elke

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