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

Smale Family History

Smale Name Meaning

English (Devon and Cornwall):: variant of Small . perhaps occasionally a habitational name from one or more places called with Old English smēagel ‘hole burrow’ such as the lost Smegle in Broxmead (Sussex).

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


Similar surnames: Smales, Seale, Smail, Veale, Selle, Bale, Small, Stile, Style, Male

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 Smale family from?

You can see how Smale families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Smale family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Smale families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 260 Smale families living in Ontario. This was about 81% of all the recorded Smale's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Smale families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Smale surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Smale ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Smale. 34% of Smale men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Smale women worked as an Operator. Some less common occupations for Americans named Smale were Labourer and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Smale | 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
    34%
  • Laborer
    8%
  • Fisherman
    7%
  • Labourer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Operator
    15%
  • Income
    15%
  • Student
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    15%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Smale family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 44,000 census records available for the last name Smale. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Smale census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Smale

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Smale. 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 Smale immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Smale military records

You've only scratched the surface of Smale family history

Discover More

What is the average Smale lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Smale life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Smale in 1952 was 51, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Smale

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Smale family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Smale last name

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