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Shah Family History

Shah Name Meaning

Indian (Gujarat Rajasthan): Bania Vani and Jain name from Gujarati sah ‘merchant’ (from Sanskrit sādhu ‘honest good’). The original form of this name was Sah ; it appears to have been altered under the influence of the Persian word for ‘king’ (see 2 below). Pakistani Afghanistani Bangladeshi Iranian and Muslim (also common among African Americans): from the Persian royal title shāh ‘king’.

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


Similar surnames: Shan, Sham, Shaw, Shao, Sha, Saha, Sarah, Chad, Shad, Sas

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 Shah family from?

You can see how Shah families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shah family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Shah families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 8 Shah families living in Warwickshire. This was about 38% of all the recorded Shah's in United Kingdom. Warwickshire had the highest population of Shah families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shah surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Shah ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Labourer Metal Works and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Shah. 34% of Shah men worked as a Labourer Metal Works and 72% of Shah women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shah were Pedler Silk wool and Independent. .

View Census Data for Shah | 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

  • Labourer Metal Works
    34%
  • Labourer
    23%
  • Silk Merchant
    23%
  • Pedler Silk wool
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Independent
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shah family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Shah. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shah census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shah

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Shah. For the veterans among your Shah ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shah military records

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What is the average Shah lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Shah life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 1973. The average life expectancy for Shah in 1955 was 55, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shah

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