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Cans Family History

Cans Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Cane, Hans, Gans, Cass, Cann, Cano, Crans, Can, Cant, Sans

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Cans family from?

You can see how Cans families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cans family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cans families were found in USA in 1880. In 1841 there was 1 Cans family living in Ayrshire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Cans's in Scotland. Ayrshire and 1 other county had the highest population of Cans families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cans surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1851
  • 1871
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What did your Cans ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Cans. 75% of Cans men worked as a Laborer and 67% of Cans women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cans were Waiter and Laborer.

View Census Data for Cans | 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
    75%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Waiter
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    67%
  • Laborer
    34%

What Cans family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Cans

Passenger Lists

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Cans. 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 Cans immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Cans. For the veterans among your Cans ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cans military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cans family history

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What is the average Cans lifespan?

Between 1974 and 1991, in the United States, Cans life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Cans in 1974 was 90, and 67 in 1991.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cans

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cans 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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