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Sheaff Family History

Sheaff Surname Meaning

English (Kent): from Middle English shefe ‘sheaf bundle’ (Old English scēaf) hence possibly a nickname for a harvest worker or for someone who paid or collected tithes from the same term in the sense ‘tenth’.

(or other proportion of produce paid as a tithe).

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 Sheaff family from?

You can see how Sheaff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sheaff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sheaff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there was 1 Sheaff family living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Sheaff's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Sheaff families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sheaff 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 Sheaff ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Printer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sheaff. 17% of Sheaff men worked as a Printer and 34% of Sheaff women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sheaff were Attorney and Teacher.

View Census Data for Sheaff | 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

  • Printer
    17%
  • Salesman
    17%
  • Attendant
    12%
  • Attorney
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    34%
  • Housewife
    34%
  • Interior Decorator
    17%
  • Teacher
    17%

What Sheaff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Sheaff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sheaff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Sheaff

Passenger Lists

There are 235 immigration records available for the last name Sheaff. 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 Sheaff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 733 military records available for the last name Sheaff. For the veterans among your Sheaff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sheaff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sheaff family history

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What is the average Sheaff lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Sheaff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1974, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Sheaff in 1961 was 48, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sheaff

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sheaff 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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