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Issa Family History

Issa Surname Meaning

Arabic: from a variant of the personal name ʿĪsā Arabic form of Hebrew Yeshua Greek Iēsous (see Jesus). In Islam ʿĪsā is a prophet ‘messenger of God/Allah and his word’ (Koran 171). In the Koran 19:30 he proclaims ‘He (Allah) has given me the Book and established me as a Prophet.’

This surname is found among both Muslims and Christians in part as an Arabized form of Assyrian/Chaldean variants such as Isho. Compare Essa and Isa.

Somali: from a variant of the Somali Muslim personal name Isse, a cognate of 1 above. Compare Essa.

Note: Since Somalis traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.

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


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Where is the Issa family from?

You can see how Issa families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Issa family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Issa families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 2 Issa families living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Issa's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Issa families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Issa surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Issa ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Trucker was the top reported job for people in the USA named Issa. 100% of Issa men worked as a Trucker.

View Census Data for Issa | 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

  • Trucker
    100%

What Issa family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 922 census records available for the last name Issa. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Issa census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Issa

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 420 military records available for the last name Issa. For the veterans among your Issa ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Issa military records

You've only scratched the surface of Issa family history

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What is the average Issa lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Issa life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1999, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Issa in 1960 was 52, and 81 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Issa 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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