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Kobayashi Family History

Kobayashi Surname Meaning

Japanese: written 小林 ‘small forest’. It is one of the ten most common Japanese surnames found especially in central Japan; the different families bearing this name are not all related.

The name is also found in the Ryūkyū Islands.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Kobayashi family from?

You can see how Kobayashi families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kobayashi family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1891 and 1920. The most Kobayashi families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 16 Kobayashi families living in British Columbia. This was about 94% of all the recorded Kobayashi's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Kobayashi families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kobayashi 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 Kobayashi ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Fisherman was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Kobayashi. 56% of Kobayashi men worked as a Fisherman.

View Census Data for Kobayashi | 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

  • Fisherman
    56%
  • Farmer
    23%
  • Laborer
    23%

What Kobayashi family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Kobayashi. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kobayashi census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kobayashi

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Kobayashi. 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 Kobayashi immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Kobayashi military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kobayashi family history

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What is the average Kobayashi lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Kobayashi life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Kobayashi in 1951 was 45, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kobayashi

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kobayashi 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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