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Kearns Family History

Kearns Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Céirín ‘descendant of Céirín’ a personal name from a diminutive of ciar ‘dark black’.

With the addition of English excrescent -s, it is noted that in Ulster it may possibly be a variant of Cairns.

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


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Where is the Kearns family from?

You can see how Kearns families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kearns family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kearns families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 399 Kearns families living in Lancashire. This was about 48% of all the recorded Kearns's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Kearns families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kearns 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 Kearns 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 Kearns. 32% of Kearns men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Kearns women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kearns were Motor Driver and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Kearns | 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
    32%
  • Builders Labourer
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Motor Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Kearns family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 102,000 census records available for the last name Kearns. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kearns census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Kearns

Passenger Lists

There are 17,000 immigration records available for the last name Kearns. 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 Kearns immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Kearns. For the veterans among your Kearns ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kearns military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kearns family history

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What is the average Kearns lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Kearns life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kearns in 1943 was 23, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kearns

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kearns 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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