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Imai Family History

Imai Name Meaning

Japanese: written 今居 ‘the present residence’ but also written with characters 今井 meaning ‘the present well’. Several families of Minamoto descent and one from the Sasaki line originated in villages of this name. The name is also found in the Ryūkyū Islands.

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


Similar surnames: Iwai, Arai, Iha, Rai, Maki, Imam, Maia, Hai, Ismail, Ma

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Imai family from?

You can see how Imai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Imai family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1891 and 1920. The most Imai families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 2 Imai families living in Gloucestershire. This was 100% of all the recorded Imai's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Imai families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Imai surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Imai ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Imai. 19% of Imai men worked as a Farmer and 29% of Imai women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Imai were Proprietor and Laundress. .

View Census Data for Imai | 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, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    19%
  • Carpenter
    17%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Proprietor
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    29%
  • Maid
    15%
  • Helper
    15%
  • Laundress
    15%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Imai family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Imai

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Imai. 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 Imai immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 918 military records available for the last name Imai. For the veterans among your Imai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Imai military records

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What is the average Imai lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Imai life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1979, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Imai in 1957 was 72, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Imai

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