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Avis Family History

Avis Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin) and French: from the Middle English and Old French female personal name Avice which may be from ancient Germanic Aveza but more probably from Latin Avitia (also found in a masculine form Avitius). In France, this surname is rare.

Portuguese and Spanish: habitational name from the little town of Avis (the stress is on the i) in Portalegre district (Portugal). This surname is found in the neighboring Spanish Extremadura.

Dutch: variant of Aafjes, a metronymic from the female personal name Ave which is of unclear origin.

Dutch: from Latin avis ‘bird’ a reference to the surname Koet from koet ‘coot’.

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


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Where is the Avis family from?

You can see how Avis families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Avis family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Avis families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 31 Avis families living in Ontario. This was about 84% of all the recorded Avis's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Avis families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Avis 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 Avis ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Avis. 39% of Avis men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Avis | 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
    39%
  • Labourer
    24%
  • Clerk
    15%
  • Rancher
    15%

What Avis family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 57,000 census records available for the last name Avis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Avis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Avis

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Avis. 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 Avis immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Avis. For the veterans among your Avis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Avis military records

You've only scratched the surface of Avis family history

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What is the average Avis lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Avis life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Avis in 1949 was 60, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Avis

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Avis ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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