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Portland Family History

Portland Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Portland (Dorset).

The placename derives from Old English port ‘harbor port’ + land ‘land tract of land estate’.

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


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Where is the Portland family from?

You can see how Portland families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Portland family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Portland families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7 Portland families living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Portland's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Portland families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Portland 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 Portland ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Portland. 100% of Portland women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Portland | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Portland family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Portland. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Portland census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Portland

Passenger Lists

There are 518 immigration records available for the last name Portland. 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 Portland immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Portland. For the veterans among your Portland ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Portland military records

You've only scratched the surface of Portland family history

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What is the average Portland lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Portland life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Portland in 1956 was 73, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Portland

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

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