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Canadian Family History

Canadian Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Canada, Canavan, Canaan, Candia, Canaday, Saladin, Anania, Cantlin

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Canadian family from?

You can see how Canadian families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Canadian family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Canadian families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 13 Canadian families living in Quebec. This was about 68% of all the recorded Canadian's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Canadian families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Canadian 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 Canadian ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Journalier and Cook Maker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Canadian. 38% of Canadian men worked as a Journalier and 100% of Canadian women worked as a Cook Maker.

View Census Data for Canadian | 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.

Canada shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Journalier
    38%
  • Cultivateur
    25%
  • Labourer
    13%
  • Farmer
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Cook Maker
    100%

What Canadian family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Canadian. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Canadian census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Canadian

Passenger Lists

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Canadian. 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 Canadian immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Canadian. For the veterans among your Canadian ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Canadian military records

You've only scratched the surface of Canadian family history

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What is the average Canadian lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2000, in the United States, Canadian life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Canadian in 1967 was 76, and 87 in 2000.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Canadian

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

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