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Van Zyl Family History

Van Zyl Surname Meaning

Dutch: variant mostly archaic or Americanized of Van Zijl, a topographic name for someone who lived by a sluice or water management system in low-lying land from zijl ‘sluice pump’; or a habitational name for someone from places in the provinces of South Holland and Utrecht named with this word.

The surname Van Zyl is most common in South Africa; it is also found in Namibia.

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


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Where is the Van Zyl family from?

You can see how Van Zyl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Van Zyl family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Van Zyl families were found in USA in 1920. In 1901 there was 1 Van Zyl family living in Midlothian. This was 100% of all the recorded Van Zyl's in Scotland. Midlothian had the highest population of Van Zyl families in 1901.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Van Zyl 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 Van Zyl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 517 census records available for the last name Van Zyl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Van Zyl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Van Zyl

Passenger Lists

There are 717 immigration records available for the last name Van Zyl. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 453 military records available for the last name Van Zyl. For the veterans among your Van Zyl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Van Zyl lifespan?

Between 1991 and 2003, in the United States, Van Zyl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2003, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Van Zyl in 1991 was 79, and 64 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Van Zyl

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Van Zyl 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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