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Elizabeth Family History

Elizabeth Surname Meaning

English: from the female personal name Elizabeth which owed its popularity in medieval Europe to the fact that it was borne by John the Baptist's mother. The original form of the name was Hebrew Elisheva ‘my God (is my) oath’ and it appears thus in Exodus 23 as the name of Aaron's wife. By New Testament times the second element had been altered to Hebrew shabat ‘rest Sabbath’. The personal name became even more popular after the canonization of Elisabeth Duchess of Thuringia around 1230.

See also Isabel. West Indian (Dutch Caribbean): from the female personal name Elizabeth (see 1 above). It is one of the surnames (compare Martina) that reflect the partially mother-oriented name culture of the formerly enslaved people in the West Indies.

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


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Where is the Elizabeth family from?

You can see how Elizabeth families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Elizabeth family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Elizabeth families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 68 Elizabeth families living in London. This was about 24% of all the recorded Elizabeth's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Elizabeth families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Elizabeth. 70% of Elizabeth women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Elizabeth | 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
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Housewife
    4%

What Elizabeth family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 53,000 census records available for the last name Elizabeth. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Elizabeth census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Elizabeth

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Elizabeth. 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 Elizabeth immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Elizabeth military records

You've only scratched the surface of Elizabeth family history

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What is the average Elizabeth lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2002, in the United States, Elizabeth life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Elizabeth in 1966 was 78, and 88 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Elizabeth

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Elizabeth 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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