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Bignell Family History

Bignell Surname Meaning

English: variant of Bicknell. This form of the surname reflects the placename Bignell near Bicester Oxfordshire.

So named with an Old English personal name Biga + Old English hyll ‘hill’.

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 Bignell family from?

You can see how Bignell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bignell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bignell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 274 Bignell families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Bignell's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bignell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bignell 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 Bignell 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 Bignell. 11% of Bignell men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Bignell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bignell were Bricklayer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Bignell | 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
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Gardener
    5%
  • Bricklayer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Bignell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 41,000 census records available for the last name Bignell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bignell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bignell

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Bignell. 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 Bignell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Bignell. For the veterans among your Bignell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bignell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bignell family history

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What is the average Bignell lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Bignell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1992, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Bignell in 1959 was 59, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bignell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bignell 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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