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China Family History

China Surname Meaning

Italian: from the feminine form of the personal name Chino.

Italian (Sicily): nickname from chinu china ‘full of water bloated fat’.

English: probably a variant of the extinct name Chiney through association with the country-name.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the China family from?

You can see how China families moved over time by selecting different census years. The China family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most China families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 19 China families living in British Columbia. This was about 61% of all the recorded China's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of China families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the China 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 China ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Bolt Maker was the top reported job for people in the Canada named China. 100% of China men worked as a Bolt Maker.

View Census Data for China | 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

  • Bolt Maker
    100%

What China family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name China. Like a window into their day-to-day life, China census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for China

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name China. For the veterans among your China ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all China military records

You've only scratched the surface of China family history

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What is the average China lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, China life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for China in 1944 was 32, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for China

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your China 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the China family tree

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