Hugh Family History

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Hugh Name Meaning

English: from the Old French personal name Hu(gh)e, introduced to Britain by the Normans. This is in origin a short form of any of the various Germanic compound names with the first element hug ‘heart’, ‘mind’, ‘spirit’. Compare, for example, Howard 1, Hubble, and Hubert. It was a popular personal name among the Normans in England, partly due to the fame of St. Hugh of Lincoln (1140–1200), who was born in Burgundy and who established the first Carthusian monastery in England. In Ireland and Scotland this name has been widely used as an equivalent of Celtic Aodh ‘fire’, the source of many Irish surnames (see for example McCoy).

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


Similar surnames: Hugo, Huff, Haugh, Hug, Hough, High, Rush, Huger, Huch, Duch

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Hugh Family Origin

Where is the Hugh family from?

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You can see how Hugh families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hugh family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hugh families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 142 Hugh families living in Lancashire. This was about 14% of all the recorded Hugh's in the UK. Lancashire had the highest population of Hugh families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hugh surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Hugh

Hugh Family Occupations

What did your Hugh ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the UK named Hugh. 2% of Hugh men worked as a Farmer and 46% of Hugh women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hugh were Incapacitated and Private Means

View Census data for Hugh | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations in 1939

  • Farmer
    2%
  • Farm Labourer
    2%
  • General Labourer
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

Top Female Occupations in 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    46%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Hugh Historical Records

What Hugh family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 84,000 census records available for the last name Hugh. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hugh census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search 1891 UK census records for Hugh

Passenger List

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Hugh. 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 Hugh immigration records

Draft Card

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Hugh. For the veterans among your Hugh ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hugh military records

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Hugh Life Expectancy

What is the average Hugh lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Hugh life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Hugh in 1955 was 40, and 66 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hugh

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hugh 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.

Famous Hugh Family Ancestors

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