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Ismail Family History

Ismail Surname Meaning

Arabic: from a personal name ’Ismāʿīl corresponding to Biblical Ishmael.

In Islam this is the name of a prophet son of Ibrahim (Abraham) and his second wife Hajar (Hagar).

Compare Esmail and Ismael.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ismail family from?

You can see how Ismail families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ismail family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Ismail families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 5 Ismail families living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Ismail's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Ismail families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ismail 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 Ismail ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Ismail. 60% of Ismail men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Ismail | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    60%
  • Common Laborer
    40%

What Ismail family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Ismail. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ismail census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ismail

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Ismail. 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 Ismail immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Ismail. For the veterans among your Ismail ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ismail military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ismail family history

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What is the average Ismail lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Ismail life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Ismail in 1964 was 72, and 50 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ismail

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ismail 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 Ismail family tree

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