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Special Family History

Special Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Speciale, Speziale, Spezia, Spegal, Percival, Senecal, Peil, Seal

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Special family from?

You can see how Special families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Special family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Special families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 5 Special families living in Northamptonshire. This was about 83% of all the recorded Special's in United Kingdom. Northamptonshire had the highest population of Special families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Special 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 Special ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Truck Driver was the top reported job for people in the USA named Special. 34% of Special men worked as a Truck Driver.

View Census Data for Special | 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

  • Truck Driver
    34%
  • Salesman
    34%
  • Laborer
    34%

What Special family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 620 census records available for the last name Special. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Special census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Special

Passenger Lists

There are 108 immigration records available for the last name Special. 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 Special immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 377 military records available for the last name Special. For the veterans among your Special ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Special military records

You've only scratched the surface of Special family history

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What is the average Special lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Special life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1986, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Special in 1963 was 74, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Special

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

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