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Gaines Family History

Gaines Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): variant of Gain with post-medieval excrescent -s.

In North America this surname has also assimilated several surnames of Welsh origin such as Gainous derived from Gurganus.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gaines family from?

You can see how Gaines families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gaines family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gaines families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 20 Gaines families living in Ontario. This was about 34% of all the recorded Gaines's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gaines families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gaines 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 Gaines ancestors do for a living?

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

View Census Data for Gaines | 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%
  • Labourer
    30%
  • Woodcutter
    10%
  • Warehouseman
    10%

What Gaines family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 128,000 census records available for the last name Gaines. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gaines census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gaines

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Gaines. 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 Gaines immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 32,000 military records available for the last name Gaines. For the veterans among your Gaines ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gaines military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gaines family history

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What is the average Gaines lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gaines life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Gaines in 1940 was 51, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gaines

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gaines 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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