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Main Family History

Main Name Meaning

Scottish: from a shortened form of the Scandinavian personal name Magnus which in Older Scots became Manus and Mane. English and Irish (of Norman origin) and also French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Ma(g)ino Meino from magan ‘strength might’. English (of Norman origin): nickname for a large man from Old French magne maine ‘great big’. English (of Norman origin): habitational name from the French province of Maine. Compare Mansell English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Mayenne in northern France. Scottish and English: variant of Mains .7: Americanized form of German Mein or Mehn .

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


Similar surnames: Bain, Mann, Hain, Mein, Marin, Malin, Mains, Cain, Maine, Maino

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 Main family from?

You can see how Main families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Main family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Main families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 258 Main families living in London. This was about 13% of all the recorded Main's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Main families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Main 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 Main 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 Main. 12% of Main men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Main women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Main were Carpenter and Unpaid Household Duties. .

View Census Data for Main | 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
    12%
  • Farmer
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Main family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 166,000 census records available for the last name Main. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Main census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Main

Passenger Lists

There are 84,000 immigration records available for the last name Main. 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 Main immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Main military records

You've only scratched the surface of Main family history

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What is the average Main lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Main life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Main in 1940 was 53, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Main

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