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Shams Family History

Shams Surname Meaning

Muslim: from a personal name based on Arabic shams ‘sun’. Al-Shams (Ash-Shams) ‘the Sun’ is the title of the 91st sura of the Koran.

It is also found as a personal name in combinations such as Shams ud-Dīn (see Shamsuddin).

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 Shams family from?

You can see how Shams families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shams family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shams families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 3 Shams families living in New Brunswick. This was about 60% of all the recorded Shams's in Canada. New Brunswick had the highest population of Shams families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shams 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 Shams ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Shams. 43% of Shams men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Shams | 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%
  • Clerk
    29%
  • Farmer
    29%

What Shams family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 585 census records available for the last name Shams. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shams census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Shams

Passenger Lists

There are 267 immigration records available for the last name Shams. 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 Shams immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 129 military records available for the last name Shams. For the veterans among your Shams ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shams military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shams family history

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What is the average Shams lifespan?

Between 1983 and 2003, in the United States, Shams life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1999, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Shams in 1983 was 72, and 66 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shams

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

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