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Senegal Family History

Senegal Surname Meaning

African American: from a personal name based on the name of the African country Senegal. It originates from LA where the majority of slaves was brought over from the Senegambia.

French: rare variant of Sénécal, a status name for a seneschal (see Senecal) possibly respelled under the influence of the well known name of the African country (see 1 above).

This may in some cases also be an Americanized form of the French surname.

Compare Sinegal.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Senegal family from?

You can see how Senegal families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Senegal family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Senegal families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 2 Senegal families living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Senegal's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Senegal families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Senegal 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 Senegal ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Senegal. 43% of Senegal men worked as a Laborer and 28% of Senegal women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Senegal were Farming and Cook.

View Census Data for Senegal | 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

  • Laborer
    43%
  • Farmer
    29%
  • Farm Laborer
    12%
  • Farming
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    28%
  • Farm Laborer
    23%
  • Housekeeper
    23%
  • Cook
    17%

What Senegal family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Senegal. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Senegal census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Senegal

Passenger Lists

There are 188 immigration records available for the last name Senegal. 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 Senegal immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 162 military records available for the last name Senegal. For the veterans among your Senegal ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Senegal military records

You've only scratched the surface of Senegal family history

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What is the average Senegal lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Senegal life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Senegal in 1944 was 19, and 64 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Senegal

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

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