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Philips Family History

Philips Surname Meaning

English, Scottish, North German, Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): patronymic from the personal name Philip. In North America, this surname has also absorbed cognates from other languages, for example Italian Filippi, Polish Filipowicz, and Slovenian Filipič (see Filip).

Compare Phillips.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Philips family from?

You can see how Philips families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Philips family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Philips families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 747 Philips families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Philips's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Philips families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Philips 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 Philips 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 Philips. 14% of Philips men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Philips women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Philips were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Philips | 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
    14%
  • Colliery Hewer
    5%
  • Retired
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Philips family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 305,000 census records available for the last name Philips. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Philips census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Philips

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Philips. 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 Philips immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 27,000 military records available for the last name Philips. For the veterans among your Philips ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Philips military records

You've only scratched the surface of Philips family history

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What is the average Philips lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Philips life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Philips in 1942 was 50, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Philips

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Philips 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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