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Root Family History

Root Name Meaning

English: perhaps a nickname for a cheerful person from an unrecorded Middle English rote (Old English rōt) ‘glad cheerful’. English: from Middle English rote route rotte ‘rote’ (of uncertain origin but apparently ultimately akin to Welsh crwth) perhaps used for a player of the medieval stringed instrument a kind of harp or fiddle. Compare Rutter . English: perhaps a habitational name from Wroot (Lincolnshire) from Old English wrōt ‘snout spur of land’. Dutch (also Op 't Root): topographic name for someone who lived by a retting place (Dutch root a derivative of ro(o)ten ‘to ret’ akin to modern English rot) a place where flax is soaked in water until the stems rot to release the linen fibers. German: variant of Roth and in North America possibly also an altered form of this. Americanized form (translation into English) of French Racine .

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


Similar surnames: Rook, Boot, Roos, Rock, Rout, Rost, Moot, Look, Booth, Rood

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Root family from?

You can see how Root families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Root family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Root families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 181 Root families living in Ontario. This was about 66% of all the recorded Root's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Root families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Root 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 Root ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Root. 56% of Root men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Root women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Root were Clerk and Operator. .

View Census Data for Root | 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
    56%
  • Labourer
    16%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Clerk
    17%
  • Teacher
    17%
  • Income
    17%
  • Operator
    17%
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What Root family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 152,000 census records available for the last name Root. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Root census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Root

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Root. 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 Root immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 31,000 military records available for the last name Root. For the veterans among your Root ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Root military records

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What is the average Root lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Root life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Root in 1942 was 30, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Root

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