History of your Surname
Get access to Perl family records.Start a free trial

Perl Family History

Perl Name Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Perel . German: habitational name from any of several places called Perl Berel or Berl. German: metonymic occupational name for a jeweler from Middle High German perle ‘pearl’. Austrian German: from a pet form of Bernhard .

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


Similar surnames: Pell, Berl, Peil, Perel, Pearl, Pehl, Peel, Pero, Perk, Pera

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Perl family from?

You can see how Perl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perl family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Perl families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Perl family living in Illinois. This was about 50% of all the recorded Perl's in USA. Illinois and 1 other state had the highest population of Perl families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perl surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Perl ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Perl. 15% of Perl men worked as a Farmer and 19% of Perl women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Perl were Clerk and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Perl | 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
    15%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    19%
  • Maid
    10%
  • Saleslady
    10%
  • Teacher
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Perl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Perl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Perl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Perl

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Perl. 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 Perl immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Perl. For the veterans among your Perl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Perl military records

You've only scratched the surface of Perl family history

Discover More

What is the average Perl lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Perl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Perl in 1947 was 45, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Perl

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Perl family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Perl last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial