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Allison Family History

Allison Name Meaning

English and Scottish: patronymic from a Middle English male personal name: in most cases probably Allen, but other possibilities include a variant of Ellis or a short form of Alexander. In some instances, it may be from a female personal name, Alise or Alice (see Allis).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Callison, Allinson, Allis, Alliston, Addison, Alexson, Ellison

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Allison family from?

You can see how Allison families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Allison family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Allison families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,754 Allison families living in Yorkshire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Allison's in the UK. Yorkshire had the highest population of Allison families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Allison 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 Allison ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the UK named Allison. 8% of Allison men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Allison women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Allison were Bricklayer and Private Means.

View Census data for Allison | 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
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Farm Labourer
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    3%

Top Female Occupations in 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Allison family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 379,000 census records available for the last name Allison. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Allison census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Allison

Passenger Lists

There are 34,000 immigration records available for the last name Allison. 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 Allison immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 65,000 military records available for the last name Allison. For the veterans among your Allison ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Allison family history.

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What is the average Allison lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Allison life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Allison in 1940 was 45, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Allison

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