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Watanab Family History

Watanab Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Watanabe, Tanabe, Wahab, Catano, Athanas, Arana, Wanat, Lagana

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Watanab family from?

You can see how Watanab families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Watanab family name was found in the USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 2 Watanab families living in California. This was 100% of all the recorded Watanab's in USA. California had the highest population of Watanab families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Watanab surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What Watanab family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13 census records available for the last name Watanab. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Watanab census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Watanab

Passenger Lists

There are 11 immigration records available for the last name Watanab. 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 Watanab immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Watanab. For the veterans among your Watanab ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Watanab military records

You've only scratched the surface of Watanab family history

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What is the average Watanab lifespan?

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

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