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Reason Family History

Reason Surname Meaning

English: nickname for a man of reason, good judgement, or wise words from Middle English (Old French) raisun, raiso(u)n, reiso(u)n, reso(u)n ‘reason, speech, justice’.

English: habitational name from Market Middle and West Rasen (Lincolnshire). The second element of the placename in each case is from Old English ræsn in dative plural form denoting ‘(place) at the planks’, i.e. plank bridge.

In some cases, possibly also an Americanized form of German Riesen or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Reason family from?

You can see how Reason families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Reason family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Reason families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 167 Reason families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Reason's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Reason families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Reason 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 Reason 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 Reason. 11% of Reason men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Reason women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Reason were Builders Labourer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Reason | 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
    11%
  • Incapacitated
    9%
  • Gardener
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Reason family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Reason. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Reason census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Reason

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Reason. For the veterans among your Reason ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Reason military records

You've only scratched the surface of Reason family history

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What is the average Reason lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Reason life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Reason in 1947 was 34, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Reason

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Reason 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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