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Rosa Family History

Rosa Surname Meaning

Italian, Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese: from rosa ‘rose’ (from Latin rosa). This term was applied as a topographic name for someone who lived where wild roses grew, or as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a rose, or as a nickname for someone with a pink rosy complexion. Italian: from the female personal name Rosa from rosa ‘rose’.

Under the influence of the cults of various Christian saints, particularly Rosa, patron saint of Viterbo, this was a popular personal name in medieval Italy. It is also a Marian devotional name (compare Rosario). Compare also De Rosa.

Spanish and Portuguese: from the female personal name Rosa (see 2 above) or a short form of a surname such as De la Rosa (Spanish) or Da Rosa (Portuguese). Polish and Czech: from the vocabulary word rosa ‘dew, juice, sap’, applied as a nickname.

Croatian and Serbian (Roša): from a Slavicized form of the Italian nickname Rosso (compare Roso) or from a short and pet form of various personal names containing the syllable ro(š) (see Rosko).

Slovenian: probably a nickname from rosa ‘dew’.

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


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Where is the Rosa family from?

You can see how Rosa families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rosa family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rosa families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 47 Rosa families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Rosa's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rosa families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rosa 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 Rosa ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Rosa. 100% of Rosa men worked as a General Farm Labourer and 94% of Rosa women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rosa | 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 Farm Labourer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    94%
  • Housekeeper
    7%

What Rosa family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 159,000 census records available for the last name Rosa. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rosa census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rosa

Passenger Lists

There are 61,000 immigration records available for the last name Rosa. 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 Rosa immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Rosa. For the veterans among your Rosa ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rosa military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rosa family history

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What is the average Rosa lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Rosa life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Rosa in 1945 was 40, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rosa

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rosa 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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