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Chinese Family History

Chinese 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: Chianese, Hines, Chiesa, Caines, Chinen, Clines, Rhines, Chiles

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Chinese family from?

You can see how Chinese families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chinese family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Chinese families were found in USA in 1920. In 1881 there was 1 Chinese family living in Shetland. This was 100% of all the recorded Chinese's in Scotland. Shetland had the highest population of Chinese families in 1881.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chinese 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 Chinese ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Laundryman was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Chinese. 100% of Chinese men worked as a Laundryman.

View Census Data for Chinese | 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.

Canada shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Laundryman
    100%

What Chinese family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 311 census records available for the last name Chinese. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chinese census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chinese

Passenger Lists

There are 183 immigration records available for the last name Chinese. 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 Chinese immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 59 military records available for the last name Chinese. For the veterans among your Chinese ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chinese military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chinese family history

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What is the average Chinese lifespan?

Between 1992 and 2003, in the United States, Chinese life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Chinese in 1992 was 94, and 80 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chinese

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chinese 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Chinese family tree

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