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Kansas Family History

Kansas Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Kangas, Kanas, Karas, Kanda, Kardas, Panas, Kasai, Kaas, Kass, Bansal

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 Kansas family from?

You can see how Kansas families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kansas family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Kansas families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 5 Kansas families living in Louisiana. This was about 50% of all the recorded Kansas's in USA. Louisiana had the highest population of Kansas families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kansas surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kansas ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Manager and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kansas. 18% of Kansas men worked as a Manager and 25% of Kansas women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kansas were Farmer and Ironer. .

View Census Data for Kansas | 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

  • Manager
    18%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Proprietor
    12%
  • Farmer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Waitress
    13%
  • Maid
    13%
  • Ironer
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kansas family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Kansas. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kansas census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kansas

Passenger Lists

There are 336 immigration records available for the last name Kansas. 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 Kansas immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 33,000 military records available for the last name Kansas. For the veterans among your Kansas ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kansas military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kansas family history

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What is the average Kansas lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Kansas life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1998, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Kansas in 1963 was 79, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kansas

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kansas family tree

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Browse profiles of historical people with the Kansas last name

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