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Irwin Family History

Irwin Surname Meaning

Irish and Scottish: variant of Irvin. English: variant of Erwin.

Welsh: possibly from the Welsh personal name Urien (see Uren) but this is difficult to substantiate.

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


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Where is the Irwin family from?

You can see how Irwin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Irwin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Irwin families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 482 Irwin families living in Lancashire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Irwin's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Irwin families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Irwin 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 Irwin 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 Irwin. 12% of Irwin men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Irwin women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Irwin were Incapacitated and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Irwin | 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
    12%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Housekeeper
    2%

What Irwin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 334,000 census records available for the last name Irwin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Irwin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Irwin

Passenger Lists

There are 43,000 immigration records available for the last name Irwin. 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 Irwin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 57,000 military records available for the last name Irwin. For the veterans among your Irwin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Irwin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Irwin family history

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What is the average Irwin lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Irwin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Irwin in 1941 was 34, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Irwin

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Irwin 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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