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English Family History

English Surname Meaning

English Scottish and Welsh: ethnic name from Middle English English Inglish Inglis ‘English’ (Old English Englisc) sometimes alternating with Anglo-Norman French Engleis Engles Anglais Angles (Old French Englois). Compare Inglis and England . Among the aristocracy and upper gentry it marked out a man of English ancestry from one of Norman or continental origin. In counties bordering England with Scotland and Wales the name distinguished an Englishman from a Scot or a native Welshman on both sides of the border. The name may also have been acquired by English merchants who traded abroad or who lived and worked in a ‘French’ borough in England (one exclusively administered by Normans). Irish: in Ireland this name was used to denote an Englishman often being adopted for Irish Aingléis ‘Englishman’ or through mistranslation for Mac an Ghallóglaigh see Gallogly and Golightly .

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


Similar surnames: Anguish, England, Inglis, Mellish, Enis, Eglin, Angles, Ellis, Klish

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 English family from?

You can see how English families moved over time by selecting different census years. The English family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most English families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 96 English families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 15% of all the recorded English's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of English families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the English surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your English ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named English. 17% of English men worked as a Laborer and 7% of English women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named English were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for English | 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
    17%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    7%
  • Maid
    6%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What English family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 339,000 census records available for the last name English. Like a window into their day-to-day life, English census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for English

Passenger Lists

There are 44,000 immigration records available for the last name English. 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 English immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 84,000 military records available for the last name English. For the veterans among your English ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all English military records

You've only scratched the surface of English family history

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What is the average English lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, English life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for English in 1940 was 45, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for English

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