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Penke Family History

Penke Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Denke, Penk, Punke, Penne, Jenke, Henke, Penka, Lenke, Enke, Benke

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Penke family from?

You can see how Penke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Penke family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Penke families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 6 Penke families living in Massachusetts. This was about 43% of all the recorded Penke's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Penke families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Penke surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Penke ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Penke. 40% of Penke men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Penke women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Penke were Salesman and Housemaid. .

View Census Data for Penke | 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
    40%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Carpenter
    15%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    34%
  • Saleswoman
    23%
  • Manager
    23%
  • Housemaid
    23%
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What Penke family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Penke. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Penke census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Penke

Passenger Lists

There are 217 immigration records available for the last name Penke. 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 Penke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 196 military records available for the last name Penke. For the veterans among your Penke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Penke military records

You've only scratched the surface of Penke family history

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What is the average Penke lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Penke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1993, and highest in 1976. The average life expectancy for Penke in 1963 was 65, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Penke

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Penke family tree

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