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Vance Family History

Vance Name Meaning

Scottish: apparently a spelling pronunciation of Vans a misreading of Vaus (see Vause ) in which -u- has been miscopied as -n-. If true it is probably limited to the Vans or Vaus family of Wigtownshire. It may be this surname that appears in Ireland from the early 17th century especially in Ulster but it could alternatively be the English name in 2 below. English: if not a transcription error for Vause (a surname well evidenced in Warwickshire and Leicestershire) a variant of Vann with post-medieval excrescent -s.

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


Similar surnames: Hance, Dance, Lance, Bane, Rance, Vince, Cancel, Bence, Lande, Bunce

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Where is the Vance family from?

You can see how Vance families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Vance family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Vance families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 442 Vance families living in Ontario. This was about 57% of all the recorded Vance's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Vance families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Vance 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 Vance ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Vance. 49% of Vance men worked as a Farmer and 21% of Vance women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Vance were Farmers Son and Student. .

View Census Data for Vance | 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
    49%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Laborer
    4%
  • Farmers Son
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    21%
  • Saleslady
    11%
  • Clerk
    11%
  • Student
    11%
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What Vance family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 190,000 census records available for the last name Vance. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Vance census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Vance

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 51,000 military records available for the last name Vance. For the veterans among your Vance ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Vance military records

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What is the average Vance lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Vance life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Vance in 1943 was 36, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Vance

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