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Taira Family History

Taira Name Meaning

Japanese: written 平 ‘peace’ or ‘level’. Together with the Fujiwara and Minamoto this is one of the most prominent clans in Japanese history. It is listed in the Shinsen shōjiroku. The name appears to have been taken from Taira no Miyako (‘Capital of Peace’) an ancient epithet for the city of Kyōto. The Taira are also commonly called Heike 平家 or Heishi 平氏 from the Sino-Japanese pronunciation of Taira + the words for family or clan.

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


Similar surnames: Hara, Tara, Taras, Maire, Kalra, Maia, Tahara, Tata, Barra, Batra

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Where is the Taira family from?

You can see how Taira families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Taira family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Taira families were found in USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 30 Taira families living in Hawaii. This was about 45% of all the recorded Taira's in USA. Hawaii had the highest population of Taira families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Taira surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Taira ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Taira. 50% of Taira men worked as a Laborer and 13% of Taira women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Taira were Helper and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Taira | 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

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Proprietor
    14%
  • Helper
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    13%
  • Housemaid
    13%
  • House Keeper
    13%
  • Housekeeper
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Taira family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 943 census records available for the last name Taira. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Taira census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Taira

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Taira. 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 Taira immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 459 military records available for the last name Taira. For the veterans among your Taira ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Taira military records

You've only scratched the surface of Taira family history

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What is the average Taira lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Taira life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Taira in 1957 was 34, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Taira

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