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Halifax Family History

Halifax Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Halifax in Yorkshire which is recorded as Halyfax and Halifax from the 11th century. The etymology of the placename is uncertain but it may derive from Old English halh ‘nook corner of land’ + gefeaxe ‘area of coarse grass’ (from Old English feax ‘hair coarse grass’ with the collective prefix ge-).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Halifax family from?

You can see how Halifax families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Halifax family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Halifax families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 63 Halifax families living in Yorkshire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Halifax's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Halifax families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Halifax 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 Halifax 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 Halifax. 34% of Halifax men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Halifax women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Halifax were House Painter and Machinist Chocolate.

View Census Data for Halifax | 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
    34%
  • Painter
    23%
  • Farm Labourer
    23%
  • House Painter
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Machinist Chocolate
    4%

What Halifax family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Halifax. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Halifax census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Halifax

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Halifax. For the veterans among your Halifax ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Halifax military records

You've only scratched the surface of Halifax family history

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What is the average Halifax lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Halifax life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1995, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Halifax in 1963 was 69, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Halifax

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Halifax 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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