History of your Surname
Get access to Max family records.Start a free trial

Max Family History

Max Name Meaning

German Flemish and Dutch: from a short form of the personal name Maximilian (from Latin Maximillianus a derivative of Maximillus a diminutive of Maximus ‘greatest’) borne by a 3rd-century Christian saint venerated particularly in the region of Passau where he founded a church. The personal name was comparatively rare at the most productive period of surname formation; it gained popularity from the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I (born 1459) who was named by his father Frederick III of Austria in honor of the Roman heroes Q. Fabius Maximus and Scipio Aemilianus as if with a combination of their names. The name is also borne by Ashkenazic Jews presumably as an adoption of the German surname. English: variant of Macks .

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


Similar surnames: May, Mar, Mak, Man, Mas, Bax, Ma, Yax, Lax, Mao

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Max family from?

You can see how Max families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Max family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Max families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 30 Max families living in Quebec. This was about 36% of all the recorded Max's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Max families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Max surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Max ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Max. 34% of Max men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Max | 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

  • Farmer
    34%
  • Laborer
    27%
  • Merchant
    14%
  • Lab
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Max family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 22,000 census records available for the last name Max. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Max census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Max

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Max. 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 Max immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Max. For the veterans among your Max ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Max military records

You've only scratched the surface of Max family history

Discover More

What is the average Max lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Max life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Max in 1949 was 42, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Max

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Max family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Max last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial