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Israel Family History

Israel Surname Meaning

Jewish German Welsh English Haitian and African (mainly Nigeria and Tanzania): from the Hebrew personal name Yisra’el in German and English Israel ‘Fighter of God’. In the Bible this is a byname bestowed on Jacob after he had wrestled with the angel at the ford of Jabbok (Genesis 324–8).

In Germany it was used as a personal name in the Middle Ages among Christians too and in Wales and southern England it was used among Nonconformists from the 17th century onward. Jewish: surname adopted by Jews with reference to the ancient Kingdom of Israel destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 BC or to the concept of Jewish nationhood or in modern times to the state of Israel.

Altered form of English Ezell.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Israel family from?

You can see how Israel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Israel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Israel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 254 Israel families living in London. This was about 59% of all the recorded Israel's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Israel families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Israel 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 Israel ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Private Means and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Israel. 9% of Israel men worked as a Private Means and 66% of Israel women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Israel were Retired Incapacitated and Housewife.

View Census Data for Israel | 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

  • Private Means
    9%
  • Doctor
    6%
  • Barber
    6%
  • Retired Incapacitated
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Household Duties (unpaid)
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Israel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 57,000 census records available for the last name Israel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Israel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Israel

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Israel. 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 Israel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Israel. For the veterans among your Israel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Israel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Israel family history

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What is the average Israel lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Israel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Israel in 1941 was 27, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Israel

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

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