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Christian Family History

Christian Name Meaning

German and French: from the personal name Christian from Latin Christianus ‘follower of Christ’ (see Christ ) literally ‘the Christian’. The usual French form is however Chrétien (see Chretien ). For the cognate English name see 3 below. Manx: from Mac Kristinn ‘son of Kristinn’ a borrowing of the Old Norse form of Latin Christianus ‘the Christian’. Christian is a learned Anglicized form. English (of Norman origin): from the interchangeable Middle English personal names Cristian and Cristin used for both men and women. Cristian is from Latin Christianus (see 1 above) and its female equivalent Christiana. Cristin is from Latin Christinus and Christina male and female diminutives of Christus ‘Christ’. They were introduced to England and Scotland by the Normans in their Old French forms male Crestien (or the learned form Cristian) and Cristin female Cristiane and Cristine. Cristin(e) was naturally associated with the Middle English word cristen cristin or criston ‘Christian’ (Old English crīsten) reinforcing the tendency to use Cristin and Cristian as alternative name forms. The male name was never common in medieval England but the female name became increasingly popular in the 14th and 15th centuries. Scottish and Manx: either from one or other of the Old French personal names in 1 above or from the Old Norse male personal name Kristinn. Compare Christie and Christison . Alternatively the surname in southwest Scotland may have been brought there by Manxmen (see 2 above).

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


Similar surnames: Christman, Christiana, Christen, Cristiano, Christoff, Christin

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Where is the Christian family from?

You can see how Christian families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Christian family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Christian families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 939 Christian families living in Isle of Man. This was about 32% of all the recorded Christian's in United Kingdom. Isle of Man had the highest population of Christian families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Christian surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Christian ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Christian. 11% of Christian men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Christian women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Christian were Farmer and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Christian | 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
    11%
  • Joiner
    6%
  • Farm Labourer
    5%
  • Farmer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Christian family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 300,000 census records available for the last name Christian. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Christian census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Christian

Passenger Lists

There are 39,000 immigration records available for the last name Christian. 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 45,000 military records available for the last name Christian. For the veterans among your Christian ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Christian lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Christian life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Christian in 1941 was 33, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Christian

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