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Benks Family History

Benks Name 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: Banks, Benis, Benko, Benes, Jenks, Becks, Binks, Berks, Benke, Bens

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Benks family from?

You can see how Benks families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Benks family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Benks families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 11 Benks families living in Saskatchewan. This was about 44% of all the recorded Benks's in Canada. Saskatchewan had the highest population of Benks families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Benks surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Benks ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Benks. 35% of Benks men worked as a Laborer and 21% of Benks women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Benks were Clerk and Cook. .

View Census Data for Benks | 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
    35%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Miner
    11%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    21%
  • Housewife
    13%
  • New Worker
    9%
  • Cook
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Benks family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Benks. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Benks census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Benks

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 142 military records available for the last name Benks. For the veterans among your Benks ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Benks military records

You've only scratched the surface of Benks family history

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What is the average Benks lifespan?

Between 1971 and 1998, in the United States, Benks life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Benks in 1971 was 67, and 94 in 1998.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Benks

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