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Mains Family History

Mains Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): nickname from Old French mayns i.e. ‘with the hands’.

Scottish: variant of Main with post-medieval excrescent -s.

Scottish: habitational name from the frequent Scots local word or placename mains ‘demesne farm’.

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


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Where is the Mains family from?

You can see how Mains families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mains family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mains families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 90 Mains families living in Durham. This was about 36% of all the recorded Mains's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Mains families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mains 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 Mains 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 Mains. 100% of Mains men worked as a General Labourer and 82% of Mains women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Mains | 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
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Charwoman
    5%
  • Waitress
    4%
  • House Wife
    3%

What Mains family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Mains. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mains census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Mains

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Mains. 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 Mains immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Mains. For the veterans among your Mains ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mains military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mains family history

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What is the average Mains lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Mains life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Mains in 1948 was 63, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mains

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mains 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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