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Fern Family History

Fern Name Meaning

English and Irish: variant of Fearn . German: habitational name from a place called Ferna in the Eichsfeld area.

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


Similar surnames: Fenn, Kern, Fehn, Hearn, Kerr, Bean, Finn, Dern, Fearn, Ferns

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 Fern family from?

You can see how Fern families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fern family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fern families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 7 Fern families living in New York. This was about 30% of all the recorded Fern's in USA. New York and 1 other state had the highest population of Fern families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fern surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Fern ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Fern. 17% of Fern men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Fern women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fern were Clerk and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Fern | 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
    17%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Seamstress
    8%
  • Stenographer
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Fern family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 61,000 census records available for the last name Fern. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fern census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Fern

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Fern. 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 Fern immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Fern. For the veterans among your Fern ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fern military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fern family history

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What is the average Fern lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Fern life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Fern in 1951 was 42, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fern

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Fern family tree

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