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Chains Family History

Chains 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: Chain, Cains, Hains, Chang, Hain, Cain, Chino, Chaves, Chin, Mains

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Chains family from?

You can see how Chains families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chains family name was found in the USA between 1840 and 1920. The most Chains families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Chains family living in New York. This was 100% of all the recorded Chains's in USA. New York had the highest population of Chains families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chains surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Chains ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Chains. 60% of Chains men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Chains | 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

  • Laborer
    60%
  • Log Roller
    40%

What Chains family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 615 census records available for the last name Chains. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chains census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chains

Passenger Lists

There are 34 immigration records available for the last name Chains. 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 Chains immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 22 military records available for the last name Chains. For the veterans among your Chains ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chains military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chains family history

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What is the average Chains lifespan?

Average Chains life expectancy in 1978 was 82 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 70.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chains

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

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