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Pence Family History

Pence Surname Meaning

Americanized form of German Penz or Benz. Compare Hartpence.

English (Yorkshire, Cheshire, and Staffordshire): nickname from Middle English pense, plural of peni ‘penny’.

This surname is very rare in Britain and Ireland.

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 Pence family from?

You can see how Pence families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pence family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pence families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 6 Pence families living in Ontario. This was about 32% of all the recorded Pence's in Canada. Ontario and 1 other province had the highest population of Pence families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pence 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 Pence ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Pence. 24% of Pence men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Pence women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pence were Farm Laborer and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Pence | 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
    24%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Farm Laborer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    8%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Waitress
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%

What Pence family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 54,000 census records available for the last name Pence. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pence census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Pence

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Pence military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pence family history

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What is the average Pence lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Pence life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Pence in 1943 was 47, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pence

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

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