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Needham Family History

Needham Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places so named such as High Needham in Hartington (Derbyshire) Needham in Elm (Cambridgeshire) Needham (Norfolk) Needham in Yaxley Needham Street in Gazeley or Needham Market (all in Suffolk). These places are named with Old English nēd ‘need hardship’ + hām ‘homestead’ denoting a place that provided a poor living. Irish (County Mayo): Anglicized form of Ó Niadh see Nee .

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


Similar surnames: Newham, Windham, Derham, Feltham, Gresham, Woodham, Beckham, Denham

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Needham family from?

You can see how Needham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Needham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Needham families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 192 Needham families living in Ontario. This was about 60% of all the recorded Needham's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Needham families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Needham 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 Needham ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Needham. 50% of Needham men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Needham women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Needham were Labourer and Seamstress. .

View Census Data for Needham | 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
    50%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    60%
  • Seamstress
    40%
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What Needham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 162,000 census records available for the last name Needham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Needham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Needham

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Needham. 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 Needham immigration records

Draft Cards

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

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What is the average Needham lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Needham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Needham in 1942 was 48, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Needham

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