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Onishi Family History

Onishi Surname Meaning

Japanese (Ōnishi): written 大西 ‘great west’. It is a habitational name taken from a village in Awa (now Tokushima prefecture) by members of the Ogasawara family who were of Minamoto descent.

This surname is also found in Okinawa.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Onishi family from?

You can see how Onishi families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Onishi family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1911 and 1920. The most Onishi families were found in USA in 1920. In 1920 there were 17 Onishi families living in California. This was about 34% of all the recorded Onishi's in USA. California had the highest population of Onishi families in 1920.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Onishi 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 Onishi ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Onishi. 31% of Onishi men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Onishi | 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

  • Laborer
    31%
  • Fisherman
    20%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Salesman
    12%

What Onishi family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 815 census records available for the last name Onishi. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Onishi census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Onishi

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Onishi. 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 Onishi immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 379 military records available for the last name Onishi. For the veterans among your Onishi ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Onishi military records

You've only scratched the surface of Onishi family history

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What is the average Onishi lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Onishi life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Onishi in 1952 was 31, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Onishi

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Onishi 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 Onishi family tree

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