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

Magness Family History

Magness Name Meaning

English and Welsh: variant of Magnus .

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


Similar surnames: Maness, Garness, Magnus, Arness, Maners, Mages, Anness, Manes

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 Magness family from?

You can see how Magness families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Magness family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Magness families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 8 Magness families living in Ontario. This was about 89% of all the recorded Magness's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Magness families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Magness 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 Magness ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Magness. 26% of Magness men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Magness women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Magness were Truck Driver and Maid. .

View Census Data for Magness | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    26%
  • Laborer
    24%
  • Farming
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Housekeeper
    10%
  • Saleslady
    8%
  • Maid
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Magness family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Magness. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Magness census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Magness

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Magness. 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 Magness immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Magness. For the veterans among your Magness ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Magness military records

You've only scratched the surface of Magness family history

Discover More

What is the average Magness lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Magness life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Magness in 1953 was 41, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Magness

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Magness family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Magness last name

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