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Papillon Family History

Papillon Surname Meaning

French and English: from Old French papillon (from Latin papilio) Middle English papillioun ‘butterfly’ perhaps used as a nickname for a flighty individual.

Haitian: from the personal name or nickname Papillon which has the same meaning as 1 above.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Papillon family from?

You can see how Papillon families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Papillon family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Papillon families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 8 Papillon families living in Essex. This was about 19% of all the recorded Papillon's in United Kingdom. Essex and 1 other county had the highest population of Papillon families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Papillon 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 Papillon ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur and Servante were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Papillon. 29% of Papillon men worked as a Cultivateur and 60% of Papillon women worked as a Servante. Some less common occupations for Americans named Papillon were Tudiant and Revenue.

View Census Data for Papillon | 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.

Canada shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Cultivateur
    29%
  • Journalier
    27%
  • Commis
    11%
  • Tudiant
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Servante
    60%
  • Revenue
    40%

What Papillon family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Papillon. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Papillon census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Papillon

Passenger Lists

There are 548 immigration records available for the last name Papillon. 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 Papillon immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 478 military records available for the last name Papillon. For the veterans among your Papillon ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Papillon military records

You've only scratched the surface of Papillon family history

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What is the average Papillon lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Papillon life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Papillon in 1950 was 66, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Papillon

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Papillon 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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