Master Family History

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Master Name Meaning

English and Scottish: nickname for someone who behaved in a masterful manner, or an occupational name for someone who was master of his craft or a schoolmaster, from Middle English maister (Old French maistre, Latin magister). In early instances this surname was often borne by people who were franklins or other substantial freeholders, presumably because they had laborers under them to work their lands. In Scotland Master was the title given to administrators of medieval hospitals, as well as being born by the eldest sons of barons; thus, the surname may also have been acquired as a metonymic occupational name by someone in the service of such. See also McMaster. Either a dialect form or an Americanized form of German Meister. Indian (Gujarat and Bombay city): Parsi occupational name for someone who was a master of his craft, from the English word master.

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


Similar surnames: Maser, Malter, Easter, Mester, Matter, Paster, Laster, Meester

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Master Family Origin

Where is the Master family from?

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You can see how Master families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Master family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Master families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 87 Master families living in London. This was about 24% of all the recorded Master's in the UK. London had the highest population of Master families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Master surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Master

Master Family Occupations

What did your Master ancestors do for a living?

In 1881, the most common Master occupation in the UK was Carpenter. 6% of Master's were Carpenters. Carpenter, Annuitant and Labourer were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Master. A less common occupation for the Master family was Agricultural Labourer.

View Census data for Master | Data not to scale

  • Carpenter

    6%

  • Annuitant

    4%

  • Labourer

    3%

  • Agricultural Labourer

    1%

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Master ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

Master Historical Records

What Master family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 44,000 census records available for the last name Master. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Master 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 Master

Passenger List

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Master. 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 Master immigration records

Draft Card

There are 26,000 military records available for the last name Master. For the veterans among your Master ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Master military records

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Master Life Expectancy

What is the average Master lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Master life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Master in 1949 was 46, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Master

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Master 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.

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