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

Putnam Family History

Putnam Name Meaning

English (Middlesex and Buckinghamshire): habitational name from either of two places in Hertfordshire and Surrey called Puttenham from the genitive case of the Old English byname Putta meaning ‘kite’ (the bird) + Old English hām ‘homestead’.

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


Similar surnames: Putney, Debnam, Dunham, Perham, Tatham, Dignam, Parham, Turnham

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 Putnam family from?

You can see how Putnam families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Putnam family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Putnam families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 192 Putnam families living in Massachusetts. This was about 28% of all the recorded Putnam's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Putnam families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Putnam surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Putnam ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Putnam. 17% of Putnam men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Putnam women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Putnam were Truck Driver and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Putnam | 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
    17%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    9%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Stenographer
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Putnam family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 107,000 census records available for the last name Putnam. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Putnam census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Putnam

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Putnam. 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 Putnam immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 30,000 military records available for the last name Putnam. For the veterans among your Putnam ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Putnam military records

You've only scratched the surface of Putnam family history

Discover More

What is the average Putnam lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Putnam life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Putnam in 1942 was 54, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Putnam

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Putnam family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Putnam last name

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