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Severe Family History

Severe Name Meaning

Breton and French (Sévère): from the French personal name Sévère from Latin Severus meaning ‘harsh austere’. Severus was the name of several Roman Emperors including Alexander Severus (died 235) born in Syria who was noted for his virtuous and studious character and his tolerance towards Christians. It was also borne by several early Christian saints. In France this surname is found almost exclusively in Brittany (Finistère). West Indian (mainly Haiti also Martinique and Guadeloupe; Sévère): from the French personal name Sévère (see 1 above) or a nickname from French sévère ‘severe’.

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


Similar surnames: Severo, Severn, Severin, Severa, Revere, Sever, Lever, Levene, Seery

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Severe family from?

You can see how Severe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Severe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Severe families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 15 Severe families living in Quebec. This was about 71% of all the recorded Severe's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Severe families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Severe 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 Severe ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Severe. 30% of Severe men worked as a Farmer and 24% of Severe women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Severe were Baker and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Severe | 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

  • Farmer
    30%
  • Laborer
    26%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Baker
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    24%
  • Housewife
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    15%
  • Clerk
    10%
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What Severe family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Severe. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Severe census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Severe

Passenger Lists

There are 385 immigration records available for the last name Severe. 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 Severe immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Severe military records

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What is the average Severe lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Severe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Severe in 1953 was 46, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Severe

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