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Rettew Family History

Rettew Name Meaning

Americanized form of French Retteau itself a variant (already extinct) of Reteau: perhaps a derivative of the ancient Germanic personal name Restwald based on the root of Latin restitutus ‘restored’ and ancient Germanic wald ‘rule power’. The surname Rettew is concentrated in PA.

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


Similar surnames: Retter, Setter, Reuter, Netter, Ratte, Rotter, Ritter, Etter, Tretter

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Rettew family from?

You can see how Rettew families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rettew family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. The most Rettew families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Rettew families living in Pennsylvania. This was 100% of all the recorded Rettew's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Rettew families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rettew surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Rettew ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Rettew. 38% of Rettew men worked as a Laborer and 38% of Rettew women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rettew were Packer and Practical Nurse. .

View Census Data for Rettew | 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
    38%
  • Farmer
    19%
  • Truck Driver
    15%
  • Packer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    38%
  • Laborer
    38%
  • Practical Nurse
    25%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Rettew family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Rettew

Passenger Lists

There are 123 immigration records available for the last name Rettew. 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 Rettew immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 390 military records available for the last name Rettew. For the veterans among your Rettew ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rettew military records

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What is the average Rettew lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Rettew life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Rettew in 1961 was 48, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rettew

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