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Melander Family History

Melander Surname Meaning

Swedish: ornamental or habitational name composed of Mel- an unexplained element of Swedish placenames + the suffix -ander derived from Greek anēr (genitive andros) ‘man’. Alternatively perhaps of the same origin as German: humanistic name from a translation of Schwarzmann ‘black man’ into a Greek compound derived from melas ‘black’ + the suffix -ander derived from anēr (genitive andros) ‘man’.

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


Similar surnames: Welander, Molander, Elander, Selander, Helander, Bolander, Thelander

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 Melander family from?

You can see how Melander families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Melander family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Melander families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 35 Melander families living in Minnesota. This was about 37% of all the recorded Melander's in USA. Minnesota had the highest population of Melander families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Melander 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 Melander ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Melander. 26% of Melander men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Melander women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Melander were Machinist and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Melander | 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
    26%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Carpenter
    8%
  • Machinist
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    20%
  • Housekeeper
    10%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Waitress
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Melander family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Melander. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Melander census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Melander

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Melander. 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 Melander immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 768 military records available for the last name Melander. For the veterans among your Melander ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Melander lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Melander life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Melander in 1952 was 23, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Melander

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