History of your Surname
Get access to Pal family records.Start a free trial

Pal Family History

Pal Name Meaning

Indian (West Bengal) and Bangladeshi: Kayastha name from Sanskrit pāla ‘protector keeper guard herdsman’ (compare gopāla ‘cowherd’) an epithet of the god Krishna and a common personal name. A Pala dynasty that was founded by a certain Gopala in the 8th century ruled in Bengal and Bihar until the 12th century. Hungarian (Pál): from the personal name Pál Hungarian form of Paul . This surname is also found in Slovakia (mainly spelled Pál) and especially in Romania. Slovenian and Croatian: of Hungarian origin (see 2 above) or from a Hungarian-influenced form of the Slovenian and Croatian equivalents of the personal name Paul (Slovenian Pavel Croatian Pavao).

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


Similar surnames: Lal, Pala, Bal, Paul, Pol, Pan, Gal, Palm, Pahl, Pay

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Pal family from?

You can see how Pal families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pal family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pal families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Pal family living in Tennessee. This was 100% of all the recorded Pal's in USA. Tennessee had the highest population of Pal families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pal surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Pal ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Pal. 30% of Pal men worked as a Laborer and 17% of Pal women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pal were Labor and Housework. .

View Census Data for Pal | 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
    30%
  • Farmer
    30%
  • Farming
    9%
  • Labor
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    17%
  • Maid
    17%
  • Waitress
    12%
  • Housework
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Pal family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Pal. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pal census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Pal

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Pal. 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 Pal immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 777 military records available for the last name Pal. For the veterans among your Pal ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pal military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pal family history

Discover More

What is the average Pal lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Pal life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Pal in 1964 was 37, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pal

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Pal family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Pal last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial