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Gearns Family History

Gearns 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: Mearns, Kearns, Hearns, Gears, Hearn, Geary, Means, Gans, Sears, Gean

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gearns family from?

You can see how Gearns families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gearns family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Gearns families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 8 Gearns families living in Hertfordshire. This was about 35% of all the recorded Gearns's in United Kingdom. Hertfordshire had the highest population of Gearns families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gearns 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 Gearns ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gearns. 24% of Gearns men worked as a Laborer and 60% of Gearns women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gearns were Clerk and Housework.

View Census Data for Gearns | 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
    24%
  • Jigger
    18%
  • Machine Operator
    12%
  • Clerk
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    60%
  • Housework
    40%

What Gearns family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Gearns. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gearns census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gearns

Passenger Lists

There are 88 immigration records available for the last name Gearns. 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 Gearns immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 254 military records available for the last name Gearns. For the veterans among your Gearns ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gearns military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gearns family history

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What is the average Gearns lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Gearns life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Gearns in 1955 was 41, and 54 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gearns

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gearns 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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