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Grates Family History

Grates 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: Gates, Goates, Grapes, Grater, Grate, Graves, Grames, Crates, Frates

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Grates family from?

You can see how Grates families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Grates family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Grates families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Grates family living in Pennsylvania. This was 100% of all the recorded Grates's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Grates families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Grates surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Grates ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Grates. 53% of Grates men worked as a Laborer and 18% of Grates women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Grates were Salesman and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Grates | 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

  • Laborer
    53%
  • Carpenter
    15%
  • Labor
    15%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    18%
  • Office Clerk
    12%
  • Clerk
    12%
  • Stenographer
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Grates family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Grates

Passenger Lists

There are 150 immigration records available for the last name Grates. 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 Grates immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 303 military records available for the last name Grates. For the veterans among your Grates ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Grates military records

You've only scratched the surface of Grates family history

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What is the average Grates lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Grates life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Grates in 1956 was 31, and 89 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Grates

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Grates family tree

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