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Island Family History

Island Name Meaning

Norwegian: habitational name from any of the four farmsteads so named. The origin of their name is not certain; it may be a compound of is ‘ice’ + land ‘(piece of) land farmstead’ or from Island ‘Iceland’ (the name of the country).

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


Similar surnames: Osland, Land, Ryland, Odland, Ueland, Voland, Wiland, Soland, Erland

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 Island family from?

You can see how Island families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Island family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Island families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Island family living in Georgia. This was about 25% of all the recorded Island's in USA. Georgia and 3 other states had the highest population of Island families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Island surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Island ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Island. 40% of Island men worked as a Laborer and 21% of Island women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Island were Salesman and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Island | 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
    40%
  • Farmer
    33%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    21%
  • Laundress
    13%
  • Servant
    13%
  • Housekeeper
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Island family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Island. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Island census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Island

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Island. 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 Island immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 53,000 military records available for the last name Island. For the veterans among your Island ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Island military records

You've only scratched the surface of Island family history

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What is the average Island lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Island life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Island in 1945 was 42, and 66 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Island

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Island family tree

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Browse profiles of historical people with the Island last name

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