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Michaels Family History

Michaels Surname Meaning

English German and Jewish: variant of Michael with patronymic genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. In North America the surname Michaels has absorbed patronymics and many other derivatives of this name in other languages.

For example, Polish Michalski (see also examples at Michael) is one such derivative. Additionally, the name has also incorporated some other similar sounding names, such as Polish Mikołajczyk (see Mikolajczyk).

When examining the variations of the name, one can compare Michals, Mikels, Mikles, and Mikols.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Michaels family from?

You can see how Michaels families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Michaels family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Michaels families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 11 Michaels families living in Ontario. This was about 24% of all the recorded Michaels's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Michaels families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Michaels 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 Michaels ancestors do for a living?

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

View Census Data for Michaels | 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%
  • Merchant
    50%

What Michaels family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 59,000 census records available for the last name Michaels. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Michaels census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Michaels

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Michaels. For the veterans among your Michaels ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Michaels military records

You've only scratched the surface of Michaels family history

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What is the average Michaels lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Michaels life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Michaels in 1944 was 29, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Michaels

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Michaels 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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