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Sierra Family History

Sierra Name Meaning

Spanish: habitational name from any of numerous places called (La) Sierra from sierra ‘ridge or chain of hills’ (from Latin serra ‘saw’). Compare Cierra . Catalan: Castilianized form of Serra a cognate of 1 above. Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the Spanish surname (see 1 above) at the moment of conversion to Roman Catholicism. After the return to Judaism (generations later) some descendants retained the name their families used as Catholics.

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


Similar surnames: Serra, Riera, Sferra, Piedra, Serna, Perra, Cerra, Vieira, Terra

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Sierra family from?

You can see how Sierra families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sierra family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sierra families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Sierra families living in Essex. This was about 75% of all the recorded Sierra's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Sierra families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sierra 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 Sierra ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Sirvienta were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sierra. 25% of Sierra men worked as a Laborer and 19% of Sierra women worked as a Sirvienta. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sierra were Cigar Maker and Housework. .

View Census Data for Sierra | 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

  • Laborer
    25%
  • Labrador
    15%
  • Jornalero
    7%
  • Cigar Maker
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Sirvienta
    19%
  • Domstica
    12%
  • Housewife
    10%
  • Housework
    8%
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What Sierra family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 41,000 census records available for the last name Sierra. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sierra census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Sierra

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Sierra. 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 Sierra immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Sierra. For the veterans among your Sierra ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Sierra lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Sierra life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1957. The average life expectancy for Sierra in 1950 was 38, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sierra

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