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Sainsbury Family History

Sainsbury Surname Meaning

English (Wiltshire and Gloucestershire): habitational name from Saintbury (Gloucestershire) from the Old English personal name Sǣwine (genitive Sǣwines.

It derives from Old English sǣ ‘sea’ + wine ‘friend’.

The second component, burg, means ‘fortified place’.

Thus, the name can be interpreted as 'the fortified place of Sǣwine, the sea-friend.'

This indicates a geographical and historical significance tied to the Old English roots of the name.

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


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Where is the Sainsbury family from?

You can see how Sainsbury families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sainsbury family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Sainsbury families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 365 Sainsbury families living in London. This was about 22% of all the recorded Sainsbury's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Sainsbury families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sainsbury 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 Sainsbury 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 Sainsbury. 16% of Sainsbury men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Sainsbury women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sainsbury were Farmer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Sainsbury | 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
    16%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Sainsbury family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 38,000 census records available for the last name Sainsbury. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sainsbury census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sainsbury

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Sainsbury. For the veterans among your Sainsbury ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sainsbury military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sainsbury family history

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What is the average Sainsbury lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Sainsbury life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Sainsbury in 1953 was 45, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sainsbury

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sainsbury 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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