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Plains Family History

Plains Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Plain, Plank, Paine, Laine, Plant, Blain, Lins, Mains, Pins, Prins

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Plains family from?

You can see how Plains families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Plains family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Plains families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 3 Plains families living in New Jersey. This was about 50% of all the recorded Plains's in USA. New Jersey had the highest population of Plains families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Plains 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 Plains ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Farm Helper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Plains. 75% of Plains men worked as a Farmer and 58% of Plains women worked as a Farm Helper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Plains were Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Plains | 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

  • Farmer
    75%
  • Clerk
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Farm Helper
    58%
  • Housekeeper
    43%

What Plains family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 670 census records available for the last name Plains. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Plains census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Plains

Passenger Lists

There are 127 immigration records available for the last name Plains. 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 Plains immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Plains military records

You've only scratched the surface of Plains family history

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What is the average Plains lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2000, in the United States, Plains life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Plains in 1956 was 49, and 82 in 2000.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Plains

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

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