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Squire Family History

Squire Surname Meaning

English: status name occupational name or a nickname from Middle English squyer squer skier sker northern Middle English swire (Old French escuyer escuier) ‘shield bearer, esquire, personal attendant to a knight; landowner below the rank of knight; young man of gentle birth; household attendant, retainer, page, messenger’.

Many early bearers of this name were of modest means and cannot have been members of the gentry; in such cases the name may have been used hyperbolically for a low-ranking servant or as a nickname.

By the 17th century, the term denoted any member of the landed gentry but this is unlikely to have influenced the development of the surname.

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


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Where is the Squire family from?

You can see how Squire families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Squire family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Squire families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 700 Squire families living in Devon. This was about 21% of all the recorded Squire's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Squire families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Squire 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 Squire ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Squire. 10% of Squire men worked as a Farmer and 66% of Squire women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Squire were Incapacitated and Housewife.

View Census Data for Squire | 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

  • Farmer
    10%
  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Squire family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 115,000 census records available for the last name Squire. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Squire census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Squire

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Squire. For the veterans among your Squire ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Squire military records

You've only scratched the surface of Squire family history

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What is the average Squire lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Squire life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Squire in 1947 was 35, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Squire

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Squire 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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