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Origins of the Palmer surname

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What does the name Palmer mean?

The Palmer surname has been found in records dating back to the 1200s and is considered to be English, of Norman origin. Palmer is a derivation of the Old French 'paumer' and refers to those who have made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Those who made the journey would carry back palm leaves as proof that they had travelled, and this surname would be given to them and their descendants.

Alternative variations of the name Palmer

Palmer, Pallmer, Parmer, Pelmer, Parmar

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Where do most Palmers live?

In 1921, most Palmers lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Palmers

How common is your surname?

76th most common surname in the UK

We have 374,000 records for the Palmer surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Palmers most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Browns

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Palmers.

What are the most common Palmer first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Palmer family members

Common jobs for Palmers

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Palmers in 1921
Dressmaker

1,660

Laundress

990

Domestic Servant

885

General Servant Domestic

794

House Servant

706

Common Male occupations for Palmers in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

2,048

General Labourer

1,283

Carpenter

1,121

Farmer

1,056

Farm Labourer

1,053

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We found over 370,000 family trees with the Palmer surname

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