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Purnis Family History

Purnis 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: Purvis, Paris, Curtis, Burns, Duris, Preis, Puri, Pirnie, Kurnik

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 Purnis family from?

You can see how Purnis families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purnis family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Purnis families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 18 Purnis families living in Missouri. This was about 78% of all the recorded Purnis's in USA. Missouri had the highest population of Purnis families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purnis 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 Purnis ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Purnis. 34% of Purnis men worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Purnis | 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
    34%
  • Farmer
    30%
  • Carpenter
    13%
  • Foreman
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Purnis family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 540 census records available for the last name Purnis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purnis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Purnis

Passenger Lists

There are 75 immigration records available for the last name Purnis. 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 Purnis immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9 military records available for the last name Purnis. For the veterans among your Purnis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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