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Kanakis Family History

Kanakis Surname Meaning

Greek: from the personal name Kanakis from kanaki ‘caress playing with a child’.

Alternatively, perhaps a Hellenization of Albanian Kanaçi attested since the 16th century possibly from kanaçe ‘can’.

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


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Where is the Kanakis family from?

You can see how Kanakis families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kanakis family name was found in the USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 5 Kanakis families living in New Jersey. This was about 13% of all the recorded Kanakis's in USA. New Jersey had the highest population of Kanakis families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kanakis 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 Kanakis ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Cook was the top reported job for people in the USA named Kanakis. 25% of Kanakis men worked as a Cook.

View Census Data for Kanakis | 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

  • Cook
    25%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Proprietor
    13%
  • Loader
    13%

What Kanakis family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 497 census records available for the last name Kanakis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kanakis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kanakis

Passenger Lists

There are 507 immigration records available for the last name Kanakis. 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 Kanakis immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 92 military records available for the last name Kanakis. For the veterans among your Kanakis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kanakis military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kanakis family history

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What is the average Kanakis lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2003, in the United States, Kanakis life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Kanakis in 1941 was 43, and 84 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kanakis

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kanakis 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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