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Civil Family History

Civil Surname Meaning

Catalan, southwestern French, and West Indian (mainly Haiti): nickname from Catalan and French civil from Latin civilis ‘civil, of or pertaining to a citizen’ by extension ‘cultivated, educated’. This surname is very rare in France where it originates from Pyrénées-Orientales.

It was brought to the US mostly from Haiti. English: from Middle English Sivile ‘Seville’ in allusion to fine Spanish olive oil or to sweet oranges.

English: nickname from Middle English civil(e) ‘law-abiding, peaceful’.

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 Civil family from?

You can see how Civil families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Civil family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Civil families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 47 Civil families living in Hampshire. This was about 45% of all the recorded Civil's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Civil families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Civil 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 Civil ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Civil. 86% of Civil women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Civil | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    4%
  • Household Duties (unpaid)
    4%

What Civil family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Civil. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Civil census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Civil

Passenger Lists

There are 411 immigration records available for the last name Civil. 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 Civil immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Civil. For the veterans among your Civil ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Civil military records

You've only scratched the surface of Civil family history

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What is the average Civil lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Civil life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Civil in 1964 was 77, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Civil

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Civil 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 Civil family tree

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