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Providence Family History

Providence Surname Meaning

French and West Indian (mainly Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago): from a personal name or nickname based on French and English providence ‘foresight’ as a personal name in the sense ‘the foreknowing and beneficent care and government of God’.

This surname is very rare in France.

In the US, it is mainly of West Indian origin.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Providence family from?

You can see how Providence families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Providence family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Providence families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 5 Providence families living in Missouri. This was about 26% of all the recorded Providence's in USA. Missouri had the highest population of Providence families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Providence 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 Providence ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Providence. 39% of Providence men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Providence women worked as a Housewife.

View Census Data for Providence | 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
    39%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Driver
    16%
  • Carpenter
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    100%

What Providence family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Providence. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Providence census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Providence

Passenger Lists

There are 497 immigration records available for the last name Providence. 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 Providence immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 941 military records available for the last name Providence. For the veterans among your Providence ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Providence military records

You've only scratched the surface of Providence family history

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What is the average Providence lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Providence life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1993, and highest in 1976. The average life expectancy for Providence in 1963 was 68, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Providence

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

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