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Southern Family History

Southern Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): nickname from Middle English s(o)uthern(e) sothron ‘southern’ (Old English sūtherne Old Norse suthrænn) for someone ‘from the south’.

It is particularly used as a northern English nickname for someone from the south of the country.

Additionally, it serves as a Scottish nickname for an Englishman.

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 Southern family from?

You can see how Southern families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Southern family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Southern families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,377 Southern families living in Lancashire. This was about 43% of all the recorded Southern's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Southern families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Southern 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 Southern 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 Southern. 17% of Southern men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Southern women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Southern were Insurance Agent and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Southern | 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
    17%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Insurance Agent
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Southern family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 67,000 census records available for the last name Southern. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Southern census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Southern

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Southern. 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 Southern immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 36,000 military records available for the last name Southern. For the veterans among your Southern ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Southern military records

You've only scratched the surface of Southern family history

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What is the average Southern lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Southern life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Southern in 1948 was 53, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Southern

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

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