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Chalmers Family History

Chalmers Name Meaning

Scottish: variant of Chambers. The -l- was originally an orthographic device to indicate the length of the vowel after assimilation of -mb- to -m(m)-.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Halker, Chavers, Charters, Hammers, Hamer, Aalbers, Calder, Hammer

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 Chalmers family from?

You can see how Chalmers families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chalmers family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Chalmers families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1840 there were 11 Chalmers families living in New York. This was about 30% of all the recorded Chalmers's in USA. New York had the highest population of Chalmers families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chalmers surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Chalmers ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Chalmers. 15% of Chalmers men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Chalmers women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chalmers were Clerk and Maid. .

View Census Data for Chalmers | 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
    15%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    10%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Maid
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Chalmers family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 139,000 census records available for the last name Chalmers. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chalmers census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Chalmers

Passenger Lists

There are 28,000 immigration records available for the last name Chalmers. 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 Chalmers immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Chalmers. For the veterans among your Chalmers ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chalmers military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chalmers family history

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What is the average Chalmers lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Chalmers life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Chalmers in 1942 was 35, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chalmers

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