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

Sparrow Family History

Sparrow Name Meaning

English: nickname from Middle English spar(e)we sperwe sparow(e) ‘sparrow’ (Old English spearwa) perhaps used for a small chirpy person or bearing in mind Chaucer's description of the Summoner in the Canterbury Tales as ‘hot he was and lecherous as a sparrow’ for someone sexually promiscous.

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


Similar surnames: Barrow, Sparr, Sharrow, Marrow, Scarrow, Sharlow, Yarrow, Garrow

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 Sparrow family from?

You can see how Sparrow families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sparrow family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sparrow families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 112 Sparrow families living in Ontario. This was about 40% of all the recorded Sparrow's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Sparrow families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sparrow surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Sparrow ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Sparrow. 50% of Sparrow men worked as a Farmer and 39% of Sparrow women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sparrow were Labourer and Dressmaker. .

View Census Data for Sparrow | 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%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Laborer
    6%
  • Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    39%
  • Operator
    17%
  • Student
    12%
  • Dressmaker
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Sparrow family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 113,000 census records available for the last name Sparrow. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sparrow census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Sparrow

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Sparrow. 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 Sparrow immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Sparrow. For the veterans among your Sparrow ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sparrow military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sparrow family history

Discover More

What is the average Sparrow lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Sparrow life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Sparrow in 1953 was 46, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sparrow

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Sparrow family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Sparrow last name

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