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Means Family History

Means Name Meaning

English: variant of Meen with post-medieval excrescent -s. See Mean .

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


Similar surnames: Dean, Bean, Meas, Mears, Mewes, Meals, Beans, Krans, Deas, Mars

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 Means family from?

You can see how Means families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Means family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Means families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 47 Means families living in Norfolk. This was about 33% of all the recorded Means's in United Kingdom. Norfolk had the highest population of Means families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Means 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 Means ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Means. 34% of Means men worked as a Farmer and 83% of Means women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Means were Incapacitated and Private Means. .

View Census Data for Means | 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

  • Farmer
    34%
  • General Labourer
    23%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    23%
  • Incapacitated
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
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What Means family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 71,000 census records available for the last name Means. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Means census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Means

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Means. 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 Means immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Means. For the veterans among your Means ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Means military records

You've only scratched the surface of Means family history

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What is the average Means lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Means life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Means in 1940 was 66, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Means

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