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Kolb Family History

Kolb Name Meaning

German: from Middle High German kolbe in various meanings. The main sense is ‘mace’ or ‘cudgel’, which was both a weapon and part of an official’s insignia, in some cases the insignia of a jester. It may also be a house name: there is also record of a house named ‘zum Kolben’ in Strasbourg. In Silesia the term denoted a shock of hair or a shorn head. Any of these senses could have given rise to the surname.

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


Similar surnames: Korb, Kalb, Koll, Kopf, Kolba, Holt, Kolm, Kroll, Kolz, Kolk

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 Kolb family from?

You can see how Kolb families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kolb family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kolb families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 45 Kolb families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 52% of all the recorded Kolb's in the USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Kolb families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kolb 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 Kolb ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Kolb. 13% of Kolb men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Kolb women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kolb were Truck Driver and Teacher.

View Census data for Kolb | 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
    13%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations in 1940

  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kolb family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Kolb. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kolb census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kolb

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Kolb. 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 Kolb immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 23,000 military records available for the last name Kolb. For the veterans among your Kolb ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kolb military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kolb family history.

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What is the average Kolb lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Kolb life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Kolb in 1944 was 55, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kolb

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