Silva Family History

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Silva Name Meaning

Portuguese, Galician, and Jewish (Sephardic): habitational name from any of the many places called Silva, or a topographic name from silva ‘thicket’, ‘bramble’.

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


Similar surnames: Silvas, Sola, Silla, Salva, Silvia, Villa, Sulla, Milia, Selva, Sima

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Silva Family Origin

Where is the Silva family from?

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You can see how Silva families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Silva family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Silva families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 30 Silva families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Silva's in the UK. London had the highest population of Silva families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Silva surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Silva

Silva Family Occupations

What did your Silva ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Student and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the UK named Silva. 50% of Silva men worked as a Student and 82% of Silva women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Silva were Carpenter and Office Cleaner

View Census data for Silva | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations in 1939

  • Student
    50%
  • Carpenter
    50%

Top Female Occupations in 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Private Means
    7%
  • Dressmaker
    5%
  • Office Cleaner
    5%

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

Silva Historical Records

What Silva family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 183,000 census records available for the last name Silva. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Silva census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Silva

Passenger List

There are 129,000 immigration records available for the last name Silva. 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 Silva immigration records

Draft Card

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Silva. For the veterans among your Silva ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Silva military records

You've only scratched the surface of Silva family history.

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Silva Life Expectancy

What is the average Silva lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Silva life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Silva in 1941 was 46, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Silva

Famous Silva Family Ancestors

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