Root Family History

Root Surname Meaning

English: perhaps a nickname for a cheerful person from an unrecorded Middle English rote (Old English rōt) ‘glad cheerful’. English: from Middle English rote route rotte ‘rote’ (of uncertain origin but apparently ultimately akin to Welsh crwth) perhaps used for a player of the medieval stringed instrument a kind of harp or fiddle. Compare Rutter.

English: perhaps a habitational name from Wroot (Lincolnshire) from Old English wrōt ‘snout spur of land’. Dutch (also Op 't Root): topographic name for someone who lived by a retting place (Dutch root a derivative of ro(o)ten ‘to ret’ akin to modern English rot) a place where flax is soaked in water until the stems rot to release the linen fibers.

German: variant of Roth and in North America possibly also an altered form of this. Americanized form (translation into English) of French Racine.

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

Similar surnames: Rook, Boot, Roos, Rock, Rout, Rost, Moot, Look, Booth, Rood

182K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
31K	Military Records
10K	Immigration Records
152K	Census and Voter Lists
698K	Member Trees

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Where is the Root family from?

You can see how Root families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Root family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Root families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 371 Root families living in Essex. This was about 37% of all the recorded Root's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Root families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Root surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Root

What did your Root ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General labourer and Unpaid domestic duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Root. 15% of Root men worked as a General labourer and 76% of Root women worked as an Unpaid domestic duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Root were Agricultural labourer and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Root

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.

General labourer

15%

Incapacitated

Builders labourer

Agricultural labourer

Unpaid domestic duties

76%

Unpaid domestic

Housewife

Housekeeper

What Root family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 152K census records available for the last name Root. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Root census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Root

Passenger List

There are 10K immigration records available for the last name Root. 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 Root immigration records

Military Records

There are 31K military records available for the last name Root. For the veterans among your Root ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Root military records

You've only scratched the surface of Root family history

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What is the average Root lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Root life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Root in 1942 was 30, and 77 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Root family tree

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Root Surname Meaning

German: variant of Roth and in North America possibly also an altered form of this. Americanized form (translation into English) of French Racine.

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

Where is the Root family from?

What did your Root ancestors do for a living?

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.

General labourer

15%

Incapacitated

Builders labourer

Agricultural labourer

Unpaid domestic duties

76%

Unpaid domestic

Housewife

Housekeeper

What Root family records will you find?

What is the average Root lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Root life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Root in 1942 was 30, and 77 in 2004.

Root Family History

Root Surname Meaning

1 million record(s) for Root

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Root family from?

What did your Root ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Root family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Root family history

What is the average Root lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Root family tree

Search for another surname

Root Surname Meaning

1 million record(s) for Root

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Where is the Root family from?

What did your Root ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Root family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Root family history

What is the average Root lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Root family tree

Search for another surname