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Kanaka Family History

Kanaka Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Tanaka, Kanak, Kaake, Kanda, Kaneko, Kamara, Kagawa, Anaya, Kafka

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Kanaka family from?

You can see how Kanaka families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kanaka family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Kanaka families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 2 Kanaka families living in Washington. This was about 67% of all the recorded Kanaka's in USA. Washington had the highest population of Kanaka families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kanaka 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 Kanaka ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Kanaka. 100% of Kanaka men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Kanaka | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    100%

What Kanaka family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 320 census records available for the last name Kanaka. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kanaka census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kanaka

Passenger Lists

There are 97 immigration records available for the last name Kanaka. 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 Kanaka immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Kanaka military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kanaka family history

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What is the average Kanaka lifespan?

Average Kanaka life expectancy in 1966 was 84 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 71.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kanaka

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

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