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Name Family History

Name Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Nam, Nave, Dame, Game, Nace, Nase, Lame, Nafe, Nale, Nate

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Name family from?

You can see how Name families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Name family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Name families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 6 Name families living in Ontario. This was about 67% of all the recorded Name's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Name families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Name 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 Name ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Civilian Emp were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Name. 42% of Name men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Name women worked as a Civilian Emp. Some less common occupations for Americans named Name were Helper and Teacher.

View Census Data for Name | 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

  • Farmer
    42%
  • Laborer
    36%
  • Truck Driver
    12%
  • Helper
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Civilian Emp
    34%
  • Housewife
    34%
  • Teacher
    34%

What Name family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 581,000 census records available for the last name Name. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Name census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Name

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 443,000 military records available for the last name Name. For the veterans among your Name ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Name military records

You've only scratched the surface of Name family history

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What is the average Name lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Name life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1990, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Name in 1963 was 69, and 85 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Name

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

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