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Onion Family History

Onion Surname Meaning

Welsh: from a variant of the personal name Hennion (see Eynon) through false association by folk etymology with the English vocabulary word onion.

English (Midlands): perhaps a metonymic occupational name from Middle English oinyon ‘onion’ (Old French oignon) perhaps given to a grower or seller of onions.

English: alternatively possibly a variant of Unwin.

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


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Where is the Onion family from?

You can see how Onion families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Onion family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Onion families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 62 Onion families living in Nottinghamshire. This was about 13% of all the recorded Onion's in United Kingdom. Nottinghamshire had the highest population of Onion families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Onion 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 Onion ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, French Polisher and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Onion. 27% of Onion men worked as a French Polisher and 81% of Onion women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Onion were Cabinet Maker and Housewife.

View Census Data for Onion | 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

  • French Polisher
    27%
  • General Labourer
    22%
  • Retired
    11%
  • Cabinet Maker
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Onion family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Onion. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Onion census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Onion

Passenger Lists

There are 538 immigration records available for the last name Onion. 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 Onion immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Onion. For the veterans among your Onion 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 Onion family history

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What is the average Onion lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Onion life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Onion in 1959 was 53, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Onion

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Onion 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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