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Straw Family History

Straw Surname Meaning

English: nickname from Middle English strau(we) ‘straw’ (Old English strēaw) used for a dealer in straw, an exceptionally thin man, or someone with straw-colored hair.

Jack Straw is known as a type in literary works of the 14th century (Chaucer Nun's Priest's Tale).

Americanized form (translation into English) of German Stroh.

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


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Where is the Straw family from?

You can see how Straw families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Straw family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Straw families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 413 Straw families living in Derbyshire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Straw's in United Kingdom. Derbyshire had the highest population of Straw families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Straw 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 Straw ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Colliery Hewer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Straw. 8% of Straw men worked as a Colliery Hewer and 80% of Straw women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Straw were Colliery Hewer Heavy Worker and Hosiery Machinist.

View Census Data for Straw | 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

  • Colliery Hewer
    8%
  • General Labourer
    6%
  • Retired
    5%
  • Colliery Hewer Heavy Worker
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Hosiery Machinist
    2%

What Straw family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 42,000 census records available for the last name Straw. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Straw census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Straw

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Straw. 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 Straw immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Straw. For the veterans among your Straw ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Straw military records

You've only scratched the surface of Straw family history

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What is the average Straw lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Straw life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Straw in 1944 was 47, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Straw

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Straw 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 Straw family tree

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