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Descent Family History

Descent 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: Descant, Bessent, Dessert, Dement, Desens, Deschene, Vincent, Deacon

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Descent family from?

You can see how Descent families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Descent family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Descent families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 18 Descent families living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Descent's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Descent families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Descent 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 Descent ancestors do for a living?

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

View Census Data for Descent | 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

  • Cultivateur
    100%

What Descent family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 884 census records available for the last name Descent. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Descent census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Descent

Passenger Lists

There are 97 immigration records available for the last name Descent. 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 Descent immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 784 military records available for the last name Descent. For the veterans among your Descent ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Descent military records

You've only scratched the surface of Descent family history

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What is the average Descent lifespan?

Between 1966 and 1997, in the United States, Descent life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Descent in 1966 was 74, and 72 in 1997.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Descent

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Descent 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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