This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Lish family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Lish Family History

Lish Surname Meaning

Scottish: shortened form of McLeish. Alternatively, perhaps a nickname from the Scots and northern English adjective leish lish ‘active, nimble, strong, supple’, although the word is not recorded before the late 18th century.

The surname is first noted in 1566 in Edinburgh. Americanized form of German Liesch. Probably also an Americanized form of Sorbian Liš or of its Germanized form Liesch.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Lish family from?

You can see how Lish families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lish family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lish families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 23 Lish families living in Durham. This was about 22% of all the recorded Lish's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Lish families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lish surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Lish ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Lish. 43% of Lish men worked as a Builders Labourer and 95% of Lish women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lish were Unpaid Domestic Duties and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Lish | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    43%
  • Incapacitated
    29%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    95%
  • Domestic Servant
    6%

What Lish family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Lish. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lish census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lish

Passenger Lists

There are 694 immigration records available for the last name Lish. 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 Lish immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Lish. For the veterans among your Lish ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lish military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lish family history

Discover More

What is the average Lish lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Lish life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Lish in 1954 was 59, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lish

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lish 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lish family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial