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

Ambrose Family History

Ambrose Name Meaning

English and Scottish: from the personal name Ambrose (French Ambroise Latin Ambrosius from Greek ambrosios ‘immortal divine’) which was popular throughout Christendom in medieval Europe. Its popularity was due in part to the fame of Saint Ambrose (c. 340–397) one of the four Latin Fathers of the Church the teacher of Saint Augustine. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Czech Slovenian and Croatian Ambrož (see Ambroz ) and also their derivatives e.g. the Slovenian patronymic Ambrožič. Irish: from Mac Ambróis ‘son of Ambrose’ (see 1 above); a West Munster name which has also been Anglicized as McCambridge .

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


Similar surnames: Brose, Ambroise, Dambrose, Ambroz, Ambrosia, Marose, Brosz, Lambros

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 Ambrose family from?

You can see how Ambrose families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ambrose family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ambrose families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 77 Ambrose families living in Ontario. This was about 41% of all the recorded Ambrose's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Ambrose families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ambrose surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Ambrose ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Ambrose. 28% of Ambrose men worked as a Farmer and 39% of Ambrose women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ambrose were Carpenter and Canning Hand. .

View Census Data for Ambrose | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    28%
  • Labourer
    15%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Carpenter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    39%
  • Teacher
    16%
  • Servant
    16%
  • Canning Hand
    16%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ambrose family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 131,000 census records available for the last name Ambrose. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ambrose census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ambrose

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Ambrose. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ambrose immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Ambrose. For the veterans among your Ambrose ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ambrose military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ambrose family history

Discover More

What is the average Ambrose lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Ambrose life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Ambrose in 1940 was 36, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ambrose

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ambrose family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Ambrose last name

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