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Amish Family History

Amish 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: Mish, Amis, Smith, Amin, Beamish, Amos, Ash, Ames, Avis, Mis

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 Amish family from?

You can see how Amish families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Amish family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Amish families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Amish family living in Pennsylvania. This was 100% of all the recorded Amish's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Amish families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Amish surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Amish ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Carpenter was the top reported job for people in the USA named Amish. 25% of Amish men worked as a Carpenter. .

View Census Data for Amish | 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

  • Carpenter
    25%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Crane Operator
    17%
  • Farmer
    17%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Amish family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Amish. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Amish census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Amish

Passenger Lists

There are 37 immigration records available for the last name Amish. 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 Amish immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 264 military records available for the last name Amish. For the veterans among your Amish ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Amish military records

You've only scratched the surface of Amish family history

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What is the average Amish lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2002, in the United States, Amish life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Amish in 1963 was 75, and 102 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Amish

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Amish family tree

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