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Kent Family History

Kent Name Meaning

English and Irish: habitational name from the county of Kent. The surname is also established in Ireland where English bearers of this name settled in Meath in the 13th century. The name has been Gaelicized as Ceannt.

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


Similar surnames: Gent, Dent, Ken, Bent, Best, Went, Kant, West, Belt, Kett

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 Kent family from?

You can see how Kent families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kent family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kent families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 528 Kent families living in Ontario. This was about 45% of all the recorded Kent's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Kent families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kent surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kent ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Kent. 29% of Kent men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Kent women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kent were Clerk and Maid. .

View Census Data for Kent | 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
    29%
  • Labourer
    7%
  • Carpenter
    5%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Clerk
    12%
  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Maid
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kent family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 496,000 census records available for the last name Kent. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kent census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kent

Passenger Lists

There are 47,000 immigration records available for the last name Kent. 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 Kent immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 72,000 military records available for the last name Kent. For the veterans among your Kent ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kent military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kent family history

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What is the average Kent lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Kent life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kent in 1942 was 21, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kent

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kent family tree

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