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Poitras Family History

Poitras Surname Meaning

Altered form of French Poidras: from Old French poi dra(p)s ‘few clothes’ i.e. ‘naked’ applied as a mocking nickname.

Compare Patro and Poitra.

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


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Where is the Poitras family from?

You can see how Poitras families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Poitras family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Poitras families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there was 1 Poitras family living in Ross and Cromarty. This was about 50% of all the recorded Poitras's in Scotland. Ross and Cromarty and 1 other county had the highest population of Poitras families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Poitras 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 Poitras ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Spinner were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Poitras. 17% of Poitras men worked as a Laborer and 21% of Poitras women worked as a Spinner. Some less common occupations for Americans named Poitras were Manager and Packer.

View Census Data for Poitras | 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
    17%
  • Carpenter
    13%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Manager
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Spinner
    21%
  • Maid
    17%
  • Weaver
    13%
  • Packer
    13%

What Poitras family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Poitras

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Poitras. 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 Poitras immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Poitras. For the veterans among your Poitras ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Poitras military records

You've only scratched the surface of Poitras family history

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What is the average Poitras lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Poitras life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Poitras in 1949 was 44, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Poitras

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Poitras 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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