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Watanaba Family History

Watanaba Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Watanabe, Hatanaka, Tanabe, Tanaka, Yamanaka, Tamanaha, Katayama

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Watanaba family from?

You can see how Watanaba families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Watanaba family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Watanaba families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 6 Watanaba families living in British Columbia. This was 100% of all the recorded Watanaba's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Watanaba families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Watanaba 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 Watanaba ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Farm Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Watanaba. 50% of Watanaba men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Watanaba women worked as a Farm Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Watanaba were Gardener and Maid.

View Census Data for Watanaba | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Farm Laborer
    25%
  • Gardener
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Farm Laborer
    50%
  • Maid
    50%

What Watanaba family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 295 census records available for the last name Watanaba. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Watanaba census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Watanaba

Passenger Lists

There are 234 immigration records available for the last name Watanaba. 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 Watanaba immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15 military records available for the last name Watanaba. For the veterans among your Watanaba ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Watanaba military records

You've only scratched the surface of Watanaba family history

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What is the average Watanaba lifespan?

Average Watanaba life expectancy in 1983 was 84 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 72.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Watanaba

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Watanaba 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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