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Higham Family History

Higham Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the places called Higham (Lancashire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Essex, and Kent) or from Heigham in Norfolk.

Most of the placenames derive from Old English hēah ‘high’ + hām ‘village, homestead’, though the Norfolk placename may come from Old English hecg ‘hedge’ or hecc ‘hatch, gate’ + hām.

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


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Where is the Higham family from?

You can see how Higham families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Higham family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Higham families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 2,319 Higham families living in Lancashire. This was about 65% of all the recorded Higham's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Higham families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Higham 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 Higham 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 Higham. 13% of Higham men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Higham women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Higham were Insurance Agent and Housewife.

View Census Data for Higham | 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
    13%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Painter decorator
    3%
  • Insurance Agent
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Higham family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 48,000 census records available for the last name Higham. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Higham census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Higham

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Higham. For the veterans among your Higham ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Higham military records

You've only scratched the surface of Higham family history

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What is the average Higham lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Higham life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Higham in 1958 was 53, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Higham

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Higham 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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