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Richards Family History

Richards Name Meaning

English: variant of Richard with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. Compare Rickards . German: patronymic from the personal name Richard .

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


Similar surnames: Richard, Richardson, Rickards, Richardt, Richer, Reichard, Michaels

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 Richards family from?

You can see how Richards families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Richards family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Richards families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 6,467 Richards families living in Glamorgan. This was about 15% of all the recorded Richards's in United Kingdom. Glamorgan had the highest population of Richards families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Richards 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 Richards 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 Richards. 6% of Richards men worked as a General Labourer and 63% of Richards women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Richards were Colliery Hewer and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Richards | 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
    6%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Colliery Hewer
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    63%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Richards family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Richards

Passenger Lists

There are 157,000 immigration records available for the last name Richards. 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 Richards immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 170,000 military records available for the last name Richards. For the veterans among your Richards ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Richards lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Richards life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Richards in 1940 was 38, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Richards

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