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Seaman Family History

Seaman Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English personal name Seman Semon (Old English Sǣmann composed of the elements sǣ ‘sea’ + mann ‘man’). The surname may have become confused with variants of Simon.

English: occasionally perhaps an occupational name for a sailor from Middle English seman ‘sailor’ (Old English sǣmann), but the most common source of the name is an Americanized form of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Seemann.

Americanized form of Rusyn Seman.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Seaman family from?

You can see how Seaman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Seaman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Seaman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 540 Seaman families living in Norfolk. This was about 25% of all the recorded Seaman's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Seaman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Seaman 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 Seaman 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 Seaman. 9% of Seaman men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Seaman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Seaman were Horseman On Farm and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Seaman | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Farm Labourer
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Horseman On Farm
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Seaman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 149,000 census records available for the last name Seaman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Seaman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Seaman

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Seaman. 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 Seaman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Seaman. For the veterans among your Seaman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Seaman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Seaman family history

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What is the average Seaman lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Seaman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Seaman in 1943 was 28, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Seaman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Seaman 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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