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Weiss Family History

Weiss Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for someone with white hair or a remarkably pale complexion from Middle High German wīz German weiss ‘white’. This surname is also found in Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia, often as a German translation of a corresponding Slavic surnames, e.g. Slovenian Belec and Bele (see Belle).

It is also found in France (mainly Alsace and Lorraine), Denmark, and the Netherlands. German: variant of Weis.

German: habitational name from any of various places called Weis(s) or Weissen.

German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with wīg ‘battle’ or wid(u) ‘wood, forest’ as the first element.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Weiss family from?

You can see how Weiss families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Weiss family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Weiss families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 141 Weiss families living in London. This was about 58% of all the recorded Weiss's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Weiss families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Weiss 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 Weiss ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, No Occupation and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Weiss. 15% of Weiss men worked as a No Occupation and 50% of Weiss women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Weiss were Carpenter and No Occupation.

View Census Data for Weiss | 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

  • No Occupation
    15%
  • Private Means
    15%
  • Furrier
    9%
  • Carpenter
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    50%
  • Domestic Servant
    9%
  • Cook
    5%
  • No Occupation
    5%

What Weiss family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 217,000 census records available for the last name Weiss. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Weiss census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Weiss

Passenger Lists

There are 92,000 immigration records available for the last name Weiss. 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 Weiss immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 104,000 military records available for the last name Weiss. For the veterans among your Weiss ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Weiss military records

You've only scratched the surface of Weiss family history

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What is the average Weiss lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Weiss life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Weiss in 1941 was 42, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Weiss

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Weiss 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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