History of your Surname
Get access to War family records.Start a free trial

War Family History

War 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: Ward, Mar, Wear, Wan, Bar, Way, Ware, Dar, Wax, Car

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the War family from?

You can see how War families moved over time by selecting different census years. The War family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most War families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 War family living in Georgia. This was about 13% of all the recorded War's in USA. Georgia and 7 other states had the highest population of War families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the War surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your War ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named War. 23% of War men worked as a Laborer and 22% of War women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named War were Farmer and Weaver. .

View Census Data for War | 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
    23%
  • Salesman
    18%
  • Truck Driver
    12%
  • Farmer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    22%
  • House Maid
    16%
  • Seamstress
    16%
  • Weaver
    16%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What War family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name War. Like a window into their day-to-day life, War census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for War

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 178,000 military records available for the last name War. For the veterans among your War ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all War military records

You've only scratched the surface of War family history

Discover More

What is the average War lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2003, in the United States, War life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1990, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for War in 1964 was 63, and 81 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for War

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the War family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the War last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial