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Katz Family History

Katz Surname Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): acronymic surname from the first letters of the Hebrew phrase kohen tsedek ‘priest of righteousness’ (see Cohen).

German: nickname from Katz(e) ‘cat’. See also English Catt compare Catz and Kates.

Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Kac: from a short form of the old personal name Kacjan a variant of Kocjan or perhaps from an altered short form of the personal name Ahac (see Achatz).

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


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Where is the Katz family from?

You can see how Katz families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Katz family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Katz families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 33 Katz families living in London. This was about 61% of all the recorded Katz's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Katz families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Katz 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 Katz ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Ladies Tailor and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Katz. 22% of Katz men worked as a Ladies Tailor and 54% of Katz women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Katz were Physician and Private Means.

View Census Data for Katz | 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

  • Ladies Tailor
    22%
  • Cabinet Maker
    10%
  • Hairdresser
    10%
  • Physician
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    54%
  • Domestic Servant
    6%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Private Means
    4%

What Katz family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 129,000 census records available for the last name Katz. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Katz census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Katz

Passenger Lists

There are 80,000 immigration records available for the last name Katz. 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 Katz immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Katz. For the veterans among your Katz ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Katz military records

You've only scratched the surface of Katz family history

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What is the average Katz lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Katz life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Katz in 1943 was 46, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Katz

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Katz 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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