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Wiss Family History

Wiss Surname Meaning

German: variant of Weiss. This surname is also found in France (mainly Alsace).

North German: nickname for a sure reliable person from Middle Low German wisse ‘sure reliable’.

English: variant of Wise.

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


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Where is the Wiss family from?

You can see how Wiss families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wiss family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wiss families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 41 Wiss families living in London. This was about 36% of all the recorded Wiss's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Wiss families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wiss 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 Wiss ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Wiss. 86% of Wiss women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Wiss | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Domestic Duties Unpaid
    15%

What Wiss family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Wiss. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wiss census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wiss

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Wiss. For the veterans among your Wiss ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wiss military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wiss family history

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What is the average Wiss lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Wiss life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Wiss in 1954 was 48, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wiss

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wiss 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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