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Makela Family History

Makela Name Meaning

Finnish (Mäkelä): habitational name from farms so named from mäki ‘hill’ (compare Maki ) + the locative suffix -lä. Established as a hereditary surname in western and southern Finland mainly since the 19th century. Also adopted as an ornamental name during the name-changing campaigns of the early 20th century.

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


Similar surnames: Hakala, Jokela, Savela, Takala, Hakola, Manella, Masella, Sakala

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Makela family from?

You can see how Makela families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Makela family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Makela families were found in USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 43 Makela families living in Minnesota. This was about 21% of all the recorded Makela's in USA. Minnesota had the highest population of Makela families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Makela surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Makela ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Makela. 24% of Makela men worked as a Farmer and 13% of Makela women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Makela were Miner and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Makela | 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
    24%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Miner
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    13%
  • Maid
    13%
  • Clerk
    13%
  • Housekeeper
    11%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Makela family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Makela. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Makela census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Makela

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Makela. 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 Makela immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 729 military records available for the last name Makela. For the veterans among your Makela ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Makela military records

You've only scratched the surface of Makela family history

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What is the average Makela lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Makela life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1964. The average life expectancy for Makela in 1956 was 56, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Makela

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Makela family tree

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