Main Family History

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Main Name Meaning

Scottish: from a reduced form of the Scandinavian personal name Magnus. Scottish: topographic name for a farmer who farmed the main farm on an estate. Scottish, English (of Norman origin), and French: from the Continental Germanic personal name Maino, Meino, a short form of the various compound names with a first element magin ‘strength’, ‘might’. Scottish and English (of Norman origin): regional name for someone from the French province of Maine. Compare Mansell 1. Scottish and English (of Norman origin): nickname for a large man, from Anglo-Norman French magne, maine ‘big’. Scottish, English (of Norman origin), and French: nickname for someone with a deformed or missing hand, from Old French main ‘hand’ (Latin manus).

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


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

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Main Family Origin

Where is the Main family from?

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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 the USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 258 Main families living in London. This was about 13% of all the recorded Main's in the UK. 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.

View Census Data for Main

Main Family Occupations

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 UK 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

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%

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

Main Historical Records

What Main family records will you find?

Census Record

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 List

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 Card

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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Main Life Expectancy

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

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Main 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 Main Family Ancestors

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