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Sousa Family History

Sousa Surname Meaning

Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from any of numerous places in Portugal named Sousa.

The placename is of pre-Roman origin and unexplained origin.

Compare De Sousa, Sosa, and Souza.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Sousa family from?

You can see how Sousa families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sousa family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sousa families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Sousa families living in Cambridgeshire. This was about 75% of all the recorded Sousa's in United Kingdom. Cambridgeshire had the highest population of Sousa families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sousa 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 Sousa ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stitcher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sousa. 23% of Sousa men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Sousa women worked as a Stitcher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sousa were Farmer and Seamstress.

View Census Data for Sousa | 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
    23%
  • Truck Driver
    6%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Farmer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stitcher
    9%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Spinner
    6%
  • Seamstress
    5%

What Sousa family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Sousa. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sousa census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sousa

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Sousa. 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 Sousa immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Sousa. For the veterans among your Sousa ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sousa military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sousa family history

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What is the average Sousa lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Sousa life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Sousa in 1944 was 27, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sousa

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sousa 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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