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Benish Family History

Benish Surname Meaning

Americanized form of Czech and Slovak Beniš (see Benis).

Sorbian B'eniš and Bjeniš or of their Germanized form Benisch.

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 Benish family from?

You can see how Benish families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Benish family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Benish families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Benish family living in Durham. This was about 50% of all the recorded Benish's in United Kingdom. Durham and 1 other county had the highest population of Benish families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Benish 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 Benish ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Benish. 31% of Benish men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Benish women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Benish were Farming and Teacher.

View Census Data for Benish | 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

  • Farmer
    31%
  • Laborer
    21%
  • Proprietor
    4%
  • Farming
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    16%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Clerk
    13%
  • Teacher
    10%

What Benish family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Benish. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Benish census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Benish

Passenger Lists

There are 289 immigration records available for the last name Benish. 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 Benish immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 830 military records available for the last name Benish. For the veterans among your Benish ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Benish military records

You've only scratched the surface of Benish family history

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What is the average Benish lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Benish life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Benish in 1961 was 66, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Benish

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

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