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Cecilia Family History

Cecilia Surname Meaning

Spanish, Italian (Lazio), West Indian (Dutch Caribbean), and Indonesian: from the female personal name Cecilia from Latin Caecilia, a derivative of caecus ‘blind’ (see Sisley).

As a West Indian surname it reflects the partially mother-oriented name culture of the formerly enslaved people in the West Indies (compare Martina).

— Note: As a name from Indonesia or any other country where hereditary surnames are not in general use, this name was registered as a surname only after immigration of its bearers to the US.

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


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Where is the Cecilia family from?

You can see how Cecilia families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cecilia family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Cecilia families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 2 Cecilia families living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Cecilia's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Cecilia families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cecilia 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 Cecilia ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Cecilia. 72% of Cecilia men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Cecilia women worked as a Teacher.

View Census Data for Cecilia | 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
    72%
  • Hatter
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    100%

What Cecilia family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Cecilia. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cecilia census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Cecilia

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Cecilia. 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 Cecilia immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 126 military records available for the last name Cecilia. For the veterans among your Cecilia ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cecilia military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cecilia family history

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What is the average Cecilia lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2003, in the United States, Cecilia life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1985, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Cecilia in 1949 was 52, and 73 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cecilia

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cecilia 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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