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Mcelwain Family History

Mcelwain Name Meaning

Scottish and Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Giolla Bháin (Irish) or Mac Gille Bháin (Scottish) ‘son of the fair-haired lad’ often translated into English as White or Whyte but otherwise indistinguishable once Anglicized from Scottish Gaelic Mac Gille Bheathain in 2 below. Compare Kilbane . Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gille Bheathain ‘son of the servant (i.e. devotee) of (Saint) Beathan’ a personal name representing a diminutive of beatha ‘life’. Compare McBain .

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


Similar surnames: Mclean, Mcswain, Mcewen, Melvin, Mccowan, Mcgowan, Mceachin, Mcquain

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Mcelwain family from?

You can see how Mcelwain families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mcelwain family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mcelwain families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 12 Mcelwain families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 32% of all the recorded Mcelwain's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Mcelwain families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mcelwain surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Mcelwain ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Mcelwain. 32% of Mcelwain men worked as a Farmer and 19% of Mcelwain women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mcelwain were Clerk and Cook. .

View Census Data for Mcelwain | 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
    32%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Salesman
    10%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    19%
  • Housewife
    10%
  • Servant
    8%
  • Cook
    7%
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What Mcelwain family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Mcelwain. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mcelwain census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Mcelwain

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Mcelwain. 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 3,000 military records available for the last name Mcelwain. For the veterans among your Mcelwain ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Mcelwain lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Mcelwain life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Mcelwain in 1941 was 46, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mcelwain

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