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Newman Family History

Newman Surname Meaning

English (southern): nickname from Middle English newe ‘new’ (i.e. newly arrived or newly appointed) + man ‘man’ (Old English nīwe + mann). Americanized form (translation into English) of surnames meaning ‘new man newcomer’ for example German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Neumann Swedish Nyman Polish Nowak Czech or Slovak Novák Slovenian Croatian or Serbian Novak .

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


Similar surnames: Snowman, Nyman, Neeman, Nieman, Newlin, Edman, Kelman, Newmann

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Newman family from?

You can see how Newman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Newman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Newman families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 198 Newman families living in New York. This was about 17% of all the recorded Newman's in USA. New York had the highest population of Newman families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Newman surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Newman ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Newman. 12% of Newman men worked as a Laborer and 6% of Newman women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Newman were Clerk and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Newman | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    12%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Clerk
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Teacher
    5%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Newman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Newman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Newman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Newman

Passenger Lists

There are 98,000 immigration records available for the last name Newman. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Newman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 124,000 military records available for the last name Newman. For the veterans among your Newman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Newman military records

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What is the average Newman lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Newman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Newman in 1940 was 39, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Newman

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