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Chisholn Family History

Chisholn 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: Chisholm, Chisolm, Chilton, Whiston, Christon, Cheston, Chilson

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Chisholn family from?

You can see how Chisholn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chisholn family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Chisholn families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1851 there were 3 Chisholn families living in Fife. This was about 50% of all the recorded Chisholn's in Scotland. Fife and 1 other county had the highest population of Chisholn families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chisholn surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1851
  • 1861
  • 1871
  • 1881
  • 1891
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What did your Chisholn ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Nurse were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Chisholn. 34% of Chisholn men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Chisholn women worked as a Nurse.

View Census Data for Chisholn | 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
    34%
  • Chauffeur
    23%
  • Carpenter
    23%
  • Cook
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Nurse
    100%

What Chisholn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 434 census records available for the last name Chisholn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chisholn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chisholn

Passenger Lists

There are 127 immigration records available for the last name Chisholn. 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 Chisholn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 43 military records available for the last name Chisholn. For the veterans among your Chisholn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chisholn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chisholn family history

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What is the average Chisholn lifespan?

Average Chisholn life expectancy in 1985 was 88 years. This was higher than the general public life expectancy which was 73.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chisholn

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chisholn 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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