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Merkel Family History

Merkel Name Meaning

South German and Swiss German: from a pet form of a personal name such as Markwardt . This surname (in any of the possible senses; see also 2 below) is also found in France (mainly Alsace also Lorraine). German: from a pet form of the personal name Mark 5. Compare Maracle Maricle and Mericle . Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Markel

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


Similar surnames: Meckel, Markel, Mergel, Merkl, Merker, Mengel, Menzel, Merk, Metzel

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Merkel family from?

You can see how Merkel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Merkel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Merkel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 13 Merkel families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 68% of all the recorded Merkel's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Merkel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Merkel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Merkel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Merkel. 16% of Merkel men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Merkel women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Merkel were Machinist and Saleslady. .

View Census Data for Merkel | 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
    16%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Machinist
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Saleslady
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Merkel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Merkel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Merkel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Merkel

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Merkel. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Merkel. For the veterans among your Merkel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Merkel family history

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What is the average Merkel lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Merkel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Merkel in 1944 was 34, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Merkel

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Merkel family tree

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