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Vails Family History

Vails Surname Meaning

English: variant of Vail with excrescent -s.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Vails family from?

You can see how Vails families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Vails family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Vails families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 2 Vails families living in New Brunswick. This was 100% of all the recorded Vails's in Canada. New Brunswick had the highest population of Vails families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Vails 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 Vails ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laundress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Vails. 49% of Vails men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Vails women worked as a Laundress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Vails were Farm Laborer and Maid.

View Census Data for Vails | 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
    49%
  • Farmer
    33%
  • Carpenter
    9%
  • Farm Laborer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laundress
    50%
  • Maid
    50%

What Vails family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Vails. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Vails census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Vails

Passenger Lists

There are 58 immigration records available for the last name Vails. 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 Vails immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 497 military records available for the last name Vails. For the veterans among your Vails ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Vails military records

You've only scratched the surface of Vails family history

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What is the average Vails lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Vails life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Vails in 1957 was 52, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Vails

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

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