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Max Family History

Max Surname Meaning

German Flemish and Dutch: from a short form of the personal name Maximilian (from Latin Maximillianus a derivative of Maximillus a diminutive of Maximus ‘greatest’) borne by a 3rd-century Christian saint venerated particularly in the region of Passau where he founded a church.

The personal name was comparatively rare at the most productive period of surname formation; it gained popularity from the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I (born 1459) who was named by his father Frederick III of Austria in honor of the Roman heroes Q. Fabius Maximus and Scipio Aemilianus as if with a combination of their names.

The name is also borne by Ashkenazic Jews presumably as an adoption of the German surname.

English: variant of Macks.

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


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Where is the Max family from?

You can see how Max families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Max family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Max families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 18 Max families living in London. This was about 37% of all the recorded Max's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Max families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Max 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 Max 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 Max. 100% of Max men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Max women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Max | 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
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Domestic Servant
    8%
  • Austrian Refugee
    5%
  • School Teacher
    5%

What Max family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 22,000 census records available for the last name Max. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Max census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Max

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

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You've only scratched the surface of Max family history

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What is the average Max lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Max life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Max in 1949 was 42, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Max

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Max 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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