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Surprise Family History

Surprise Surname Meaning

Americanized form (translation into English) of French Canadian Surprenant. Compare Suprise.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Surprise family from?

You can see how Surprise families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Surprise family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Surprise families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 2 Surprise families living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Surprise's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Surprise families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Surprise 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 Surprise ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Surprise. 26% of Surprise men worked as a Laborer and 27% of Surprise women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Surprise were Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Surprise | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    26%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Painter
    9%
  • Clerk
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    27%
  • Stenographer
    20%
  • Cook
    14%
  • Housekeeper
    14%

What Surprise family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Surprise. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Surprise census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Surprise

Passenger Lists

There are 137 immigration records available for the last name Surprise. 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 Surprise immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Surprise. For the veterans among your Surprise ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Surprise military records

You've only scratched the surface of Surprise family history

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What is the average Surprise lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Surprise life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Surprise in 1952 was 56, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Surprise

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Surprise 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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