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Foss Family History

Foss Surname Meaning

English: either topographic name from Middle English foss ‘ditch’ (from Old English foss ‘ditch’ Latin fossa) or a habitational name from one or more of the many places so named such as Voss in Plympton Saint Mary and Great Fossend in Burlescombe (both Devon) the River Foss (North Yorkshire) Foss Beck (East Yorkshire) and the Fosse Way a Roman road running between Lincoln (Lincolnshire) and Axminster (Devon) via Leicester (Leicestershire) Cirencester (Gloucestershire) and Bath (Somerset) named in the Old English period from the ditch that ran alongside it.

Danish: from fos vos ‘fox’ applied as a nickname for a sly or cunning person or as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a fox.

Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead so named from Old Norse fors ‘waterfall’ examples of which are found throughout Norway.

North German: variant of Voss. This surname is also found in the Netherlands.

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


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Where is the Foss family from?

You can see how Foss families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Foss family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Foss families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 113 Foss families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Foss's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Foss families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Foss 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 Foss 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 Foss. 15% of Foss men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Foss women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Foss were Cowman and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Foss | 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
    15%
  • Incapacitated
    10%
  • Dairy Farmer
    10%
  • Cowman
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    3%

What Foss family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 92,000 census records available for the last name Foss. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Foss census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Foss

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Foss. 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 Foss immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18,000 military records available for the last name Foss. For the veterans among your Foss ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Foss military records

You've only scratched the surface of Foss family history

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What is the average Foss lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Foss life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Foss in 1943 was 43, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Foss

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Foss 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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