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Muir Family History

Muir Surname Meaning

Scottish: topographic name for someone who lived on a moor from Older Scots muir ‘moor’ (an expanse of bare wild upland country).

There has been some confusion with Mure.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Muir family from?

You can see how Muir families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Muir family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Muir families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 320 Muir families living in Lancashire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Muir's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Muir families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Muir 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 Muir 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 Muir. 12% of Muir men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Muir women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Muir were Incapacitated and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Muir | 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
    12%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Retired
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Muir family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 232,000 census records available for the last name Muir. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Muir census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Muir

Passenger Lists

There are 63,000 immigration records available for the last name Muir. 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 Muir immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 25,000 military records available for the last name Muir. For the veterans among your Muir ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Muir military records

You've only scratched the surface of Muir family history

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What is the average Muir lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Muir life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Muir in 1942 was 37, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Muir

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

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