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Challis Family History

Challis Surname Meaning

English (southeastern England and East Anglia) of Norman origin: habitational name from either Écalles-Alix (Seine-Maritime) Écalles (in Estouteville-Écalles Seine-Maritime) or Escalles (Pas-de-Calais). The Norman surname is recorded as de Scalers Latinized as de Scalariis which contains the plural form of Late Latin scalaria ‘ladder staircase stile’.

It may have been used as a variant of scala and scalae in the naming of one or more of these places, the modern forms of which derive from scala(e); see Scales.

English (southwestern) of Norman origin: habitational name, a shortened form of Challons from Chalon-sur-Saône or Châlons-sur-Marne in France.

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


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Where is the Challis family from?

You can see how Challis families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Challis family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Challis families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 32 Challis families living in Ontario. This was about 86% of all the recorded Challis's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Challis families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Challis 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 Challis ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Challis. 50% of Challis men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Challis | 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
    50%
  • Confectioner
    25%
  • Labourer
    25%

What Challis family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 55,000 census records available for the last name Challis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Challis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Challis

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Challis. 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 Challis immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Challis. For the veterans among your Challis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Challis military records

You've only scratched the surface of Challis family history

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What is the average Challis lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Challis life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Challis in 1960 was 34, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Challis

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Challis 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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