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Cain Family History

Cain Name Meaning

Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Iain, patronymic from Iain, one of the Gaelic forms of John. This name is found in many other spellings, including McCain, Kean, and McKean. In some cases it may also be a variant of Coyne. English: variant spelling of Cane. English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Caen in Calvados, France, named with the Gaulish elements catu ‘battle’ + magos ‘field’, ‘plain’. French (Caïn): from the Biblical name Cain (Hebrew Qayin), probably applied as a derogatory nickname for someone who was considered to be treacherous. Spanish (Caín): habitational name from a place called Caín in León.

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


Similar surnames: Bain, Hain, Main, Cann, Fain, Caine, Pan, Cail, Rain, Carlin

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Cain family from?

You can see how Cain families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cain family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cain families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,541 Cain families living in Lancashire. This was about 31% of all the recorded Cain's in the UK. Lancashire had the highest population of Cain families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cain 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 Cain 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 Cain. 15% of Cain men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Cain women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cain were Colliery Hewer and Housewife.

View Census data for Cain | 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
    15%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Colliery Hewer
    3%

Top Female Occupations in 1939

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

What Cain family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 348,000 census records available for the last name Cain. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cain census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cain

Passenger Lists

There are 34,000 immigration records available for the last name Cain. 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 69,000 military records available for the last name Cain. For the veterans among your Cain ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Cain lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Cain life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Cain in 1940 was 46, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cain

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