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Race Family History

Race Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): from the Old French personal name Race, Rasse (ancient Germanic Radizo, Razo, Rasso), a pet form of ancient Germanic names beginning with the element rad ‘counsel’.

English: nickname from Old French ras ‘clean shaven’.

Americanized form of German Räss (see Rase) and perhaps also of Rase.

Slovenian: nickname from a derivative of raca ‘duck’ or racati ‘to walk like a duck’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Race family from?

You can see how Race families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Race family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Race families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 615 Race families living in Durham. This was about 36% of all the recorded Race's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Race families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Race 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 Race 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 Race. 8% of Race men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Race women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Race were Dairy Farmer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Race | 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
    8%
  • Colliery Hewer
    5%
  • Farm Labourer
    5%
  • Dairy Farmer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Race family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 239,000 census records available for the last name Race. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Race census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Race

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Race. 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 Race immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 50,000 military records available for the last name Race. For the veterans among your Race ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Race military records

You've only scratched the surface of Race family history

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What is the average Race lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Race life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Race in 1944 was 41, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Race

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Race 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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