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First Family History

First Surname Meaning

German: variant of Fürst (see Furst) and in North America (also) an altered form of this.

Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): artificial name from Yiddish first ‘prince’.

Slovenian and Croatian (Firšt): nickname from firšt ‘prince’ an archaic or dialect loanword from German Fürst (see Furst and above).

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


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Where is the First family from?

You can see how First families moved over time by selecting different census years. The First family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most First families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 11 First families living in Quebec. This was about 73% of all the recorded First's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of First families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the First 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 First family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 35,000 census records available for the last name First. Like a window into their day-to-day life, First census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name First. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 153,000 military records available for the last name First. For the veterans among your First ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average First lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, First life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for First in 1952 was 54, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for First

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your First 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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