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Foss Family History

Foss Name Meaning

English: either topographic name from Middle English foss ‘ditch’ (from Old English foss ‘ditch’ Latin fossa) or a habitational name from one or more of the many places so named such as Voss in Plympton Saint Mary and Great Fossend in Burlescombe (both Devon) the River Foss (North Yorkshire) Foss Beck (East Yorkshire) and the Fosse Way a Roman road running between Lincoln (Lincolnshire) and Axminster (Devon) via Leicester (Leicestershire) Cirencester (Gloucestershire) and Bath (Somerset) named in the Old English period from the ditch that ran alongside it. Danish: from fos vos ‘fox’ applied as a nickname for a sly or cunning person or as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a fox. Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead so named from Old Norse fors ‘waterfall’ examples of which are found throughout Norway. North German: variant of Voss . This surname is also found in the Netherlands.

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


Similar surnames: Oss, Fosse, Ross, Koss, Boss, Noss, Moss, Fors, Doss, Loss

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Where is the Foss family from?

You can see how Foss families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Foss family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Foss families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 83 Foss families living in Ontario. This was about 44% of all the recorded Foss's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Foss families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Foss 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 Foss ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Farmer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Foss. 53% of Foss men worked as a Farmer and 67% of Foss women worked as a Farmer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Foss were Carpenter and Hairdresser. .

View Census Data for Foss | 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
    53%
  • Labourer
    15%
  • Laborer
    7%
  • Carpenter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    67%
  • Hairdresser
    34%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Foss family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 92,000 census records available for the last name Foss. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Foss census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Foss

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Foss. 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 Foss immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18,000 military records available for the last name Foss. For the veterans among your Foss ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Foss military records

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What is the average Foss lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Foss life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Foss in 1943 was 43, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Foss

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