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Upward Family History

Upward Surname Meaning

Probably from Upwood in Sixpenny Handley (Dorset); if this is correct the form of the name has been altered by folk etymology.

The place-name is recorded as Vpwod' in 1575 and appears to derive from Middle English up ‘upper’ + wode ‘wood’.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Upward family from?

You can see how Upward families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Upward family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Upward families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 3 Upward families living in Ontario. This was about 75% of all the recorded Upward's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Upward families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Upward 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 Upward ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Upward. 50% of Upward men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Upward | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Farmer
    50%

What Upward family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Upward. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Upward census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Upward

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Upward. 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 Upward immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 311 military records available for the last name Upward. For the veterans among your Upward ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Upward military records

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What is the average Upward lifespan?

Between 1969 and 2001, in the United States, Upward life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Upward in 1969 was 82, and 72 in 2001.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Upward

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Upward 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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