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Head Family History

Head Name Meaning

English: from Middle English heved hed ‘head’ (Old English hēafod) applied as a nickname for someone with a peculiarity or disproportion of the head or else used as a topographic name for someone who lived at the top (‘head’) of a promontory or hill or near the source of a stream or river or the head of a valley. This surname has long been established in Ireland.

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


Similar surnames: Hoad, Heap, Read, Herd, Mead, Heald, Hoar, Heard, Wead, Haar

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 Head family from?

You can see how Head families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Head family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Head families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,695 Head families living in London. This was about 21% of all the recorded Head's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Head families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Head 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 Head ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Head. 8% of Head men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Head women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Head were Builders Labourer and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Head | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Head family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 309,000 census records available for the last name Head. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Head census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Head

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Head. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Head immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 149,000 military records available for the last name Head. For the veterans among your Head ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Head military records

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What is the average Head lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Head life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Head in 1940 was 43, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Head

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