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Hems Family History

Hems Name Meaning

from Hem in Westley (Shrops) or one of several other small places so called in Shrops or from Hem (Montgomerys) with excrescent -(e)s added in post-medieval times. The place-names derive from Old English hemm ‘border boundary’.for someone who lived by a border Middle English hem(e) hemme ‘hem edge boundary'. The final -s may derive from an original plural.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames: Hees, Hess, Heis, Herms, Heims, Heys, Helms, Hemm, Hemp, Ems

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Hems family from?

You can see how Hems families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hems family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Hems families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1880 there were 11 Hems families living in Illinois. This was about 28% of all the recorded Hems's in USA. Illinois had the highest population of Hems families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hems surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Hems ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Hems. 100% of Hems men worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Hems | 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
    100%
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What Hems family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Hems. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hems census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Hems

Passenger Lists

There are 592 immigration records available for the last name Hems. 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 Hems immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 629 military records available for the last name Hems. For the veterans among your Hems ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hems military records

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What is the average Hems lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Hems life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Hems in 1961 was 59, and 64 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hems

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