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Chance Family History

Chance Surname Meaning

English (West Midlands): from Middle English chea(u)nce ‘fortune luck; accident mischance’ (Old French cheance a derivative of cheoir ‘to fall (out)’ Latin cadere) perhaps used to denote a gambler or as a nickname for someone considered fortunate or well favored.

Alternatively, it could refer to someone who had survived an accident by a remarkable piece of luck. Americanized form of German Tschantz or Schantz.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Chance family from?

You can see how Chance families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chance family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Chance families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 523 Chance families living in Worcestershire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Chance's in United Kingdom. Worcestershire had the highest population of Chance families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chance 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 Chance 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 Chance. 10% of Chance men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Chance women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chance were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Chance | 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
    10%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%
  • Gardener
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Chance family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 76,000 census records available for the last name Chance. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chance census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chance

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Chance. 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 Chance immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Chance. For the veterans among your Chance ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chance military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chance family history

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What is the average Chance lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Chance life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Chance in 1941 was 31, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chance

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chance 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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