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Bates Family History

Bates Surname Meaning

English: variant of Bate with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. This surname is also common in Ireland.

Americanized form of German Betz. See also Betts.

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 Bates family from?

You can see how Bates families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bates family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bates families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2,215 Bates families living in London. This was about 12% of all the recorded Bates's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bates families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bates 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 Bates 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 Bates. 7% of Bates men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Bates women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bates were Incapacitated and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Bates | 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
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Bates family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 790,000 census records available for the last name Bates. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bates census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bates

Passenger Lists

There are 57,000 immigration records available for the last name Bates. 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 Bates immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 122,000 military records available for the last name Bates. For the veterans among your Bates ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bates military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bates family history

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What is the average Bates lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Bates life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bates in 1940 was 48, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bates

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bates 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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