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Betts Family History

Betts Surname Meaning

English: variant of Bett with excrescent -s a patronymic or metronymic from the medieval personal name Bett a short form of Bartholomew Beatrice or Elizabeth.

Americanized form of German Betz.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Betts family from?

You can see how Betts families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Betts family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Betts families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 992 Betts families living in London. This was about 15% of all the recorded Betts's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Betts families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Betts 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 Betts 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 Betts. 7% of Betts men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Betts women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Betts were Bricklayer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Betts | 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
    7%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Betts family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 228,000 census records available for the last name Betts. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Betts census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Betts

Passenger Lists

There are 31,000 immigration records available for the last name Betts. 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 Betts immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 26,000 military records available for the last name Betts. For the veterans among your Betts ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Betts military records

You've only scratched the surface of Betts family history

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What is the average Betts lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Betts life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Betts in 1941 was 41, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Betts

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Betts ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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