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Elgin Family History

Elgin Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Elgin, a place in Morayshire, from Gaelic Eilginn perhaps meaning ‘little Ireland’.

In some cases also Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from elgin ‘strange(r)’.

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


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Where is the Elgin family from?

You can see how Elgin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Elgin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Elgin families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 26 Elgin families living in Lancashire. This was about 62% of all the recorded Elgin's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Elgin families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Elgin 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 Elgin ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Elgin. 55% of Elgin women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Elgin | 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
    55%
  • Private Means
    28%
  • Retired
    19%

What Elgin family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Elgin

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Elgin. 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 Elgin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Elgin. For the veterans among your Elgin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Elgin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Elgin family history

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What is the average Elgin lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Elgin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Elgin in 1943 was 40, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Elgin

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Elgin 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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