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Sierra Family History

Sierra Surname Meaning

Spanish: habitational name from any of numerous places called (La) Sierra from sierra ‘ridge or chain of hills’ (from Latin serra ‘saw’). Compare Cierra.

Catalan: Castilianized form of Serra a cognate of 1 above.

Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the Spanish surname (see 1 above) at the moment of conversion to Roman Catholicism.

After the return to Judaism (generations later) some descendants retained the name their families used as Catholics.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Sierra family from?

You can see how Sierra families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sierra family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sierra families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Sierra families living in Essex. This was about 75% of all the recorded Sierra's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Sierra families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sierra 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 Sierra ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Sierra. 100% of Sierra women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Sierra | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Sierra family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 41,000 census records available for the last name Sierra. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sierra census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sierra

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Sierra. 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 Sierra immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Sierra. For the veterans among your Sierra ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sierra military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sierra family history

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What is the average Sierra lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Sierra life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1957. The average life expectancy for Sierra in 1950 was 38, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sierra

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sierra 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Sierra family tree

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