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Powis Family History

Powis Surname Meaning

Welsh (now mainly West Midlands of England): habitational name from the region of Powis in mid Wales (from Old Welsh powes ‘country dwellers’).

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


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Where is the Powis family from?

You can see how Powis families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Powis family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Powis families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 287 Powis families living in Staffordshire. This was about 23% of all the recorded Powis's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Powis families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Powis 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 Powis 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 Powis. 14% of Powis men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Powis women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Powis were Builders Labourer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Powis | 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%
  • Bricklayer
    11%
  • Colliery Hewer
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Powis family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Powis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Powis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Powis

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Powis. 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 Powis immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Powis. For the veterans among your Powis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Powis military records

You've only scratched the surface of Powis family history

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What is the average Powis lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Powis life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1990, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Powis in 1962 was 62, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Powis

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Powis 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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