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Churchill Family History

Churchill Name Meaning

English (Dorset and Somerset): habitational name from any of various places called Churchill for example in Devon Oxfordshire Somerset and Worcestershire. Most were probably originally named with a Celtic element crūg ‘hill’ (which early on was reinterpreted as Old English cyrice ‘church’) to which was added Old English hyll ‘hill’. Alternatively a topographic name denoting someone who lived ‘(on the) church hill’. Americanized form (translation into English) of Finnish Kirkkomäki: habitational name from farms situated near a church or a hill named Kirkkomäki from kirkko ‘church’ + mäki ‘hill’. Established as a hereditary surname since the 19th century in Tavastia southern Ostrobothnia and southwestern Finland.

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


Similar surnames: Thornhill, Barnhill, Tuthill, Churchwell, Coghill, Birchall, Hugill

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Churchill family from?

You can see how Churchill families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Churchill family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Churchill families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 139 Churchill families living in New York. This was about 30% of all the recorded Churchill's in USA. New York had the highest population of Churchill families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Churchill surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Churchill ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Churchill. 14% of Churchill men worked as a Farmer and 10% of Churchill women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Churchill were Truck Driver and Maid. .

View Census Data for Churchill | 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

  • Farmer
    14%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    10%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Maid
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Churchill family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 179,000 census records available for the last name Churchill. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Churchill census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Churchill

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Churchill. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 35,000 military records available for the last name Churchill. For the veterans among your Churchill ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Churchill lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Churchill life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Churchill in 1945 was 46, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Churchill

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