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Sullivan Family History

Sullivan Surname Meaning

Irish (Cork and Kerry): shortened form of O'Sullivan.

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


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Where is the Sullivan family from?

You can see how Sullivan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sullivan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sullivan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4,954 Sullivan families living in London. This was about 42% of all the recorded Sullivan's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Sullivan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sullivan 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan. 16% of Sullivan men worked as a General Labourer and 63% of Sullivan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sullivan were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Sullivan | 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
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    63%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Sullivan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Sullivan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sullivan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sullivan

Passenger Lists

There are 303,000 immigration records available for the last name Sullivan. 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 Sullivan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 288,000 military records available for the last name Sullivan. For the veterans among your Sullivan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sullivan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sullivan family history

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What is the average Sullivan lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Sullivan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Sullivan in 1940 was 45, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sullivan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sullivan 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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