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Arab Family History

Arab Surname Meaning

Arabic: ethnic name for an Arab from ʿarab, a collective meaning literally ‘Arabdom Arabs’.

The surname is most frequent in countries such as Iran and Algeria that were not populated by ethnic Arabs in the first millennium;

its bearers are both Muslims and Christians.

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


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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Arab family from?

You can see how Arab families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Arab family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Arab families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 7 Arab families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 47% of all the recorded Arab's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Arab families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Arab 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 Arab ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Printer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Arab. 100% of Arab men worked as a Printer.

View Census Data for Arab | 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

  • Printer
    100%

What Arab family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 758 census records available for the last name Arab. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Arab census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Arab

Passenger Lists

There are 406 immigration records available for the last name Arab. 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 Arab immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Arab military records

You've only scratched the surface of Arab family history

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What is the average Arab lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Arab life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Arab in 1956 was 42, and 67 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Arab

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

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