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Elgin Family History

Elgin Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Elgin a place in Morayshire from Gaelic Eilginn perhaps meaning ‘little Ireland’. In some cases also Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from elgin ‘strange(r)’.

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


Similar surnames: Ellin, Plein, Rogin, Yellin, Elia, Elkin, Lein, Elzie, Elden, Bellin

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Elgin family from?

You can see how Elgin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Elgin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Elgin families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 16 Elgin families living in Missouri. This was about 29% of all the recorded Elgin's in USA. Missouri had the highest population of Elgin families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Elgin surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Elgin ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Elgin. 19% of Elgin men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Elgin women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Elgin were Truck Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Elgin | 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
    19%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    12%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Housewife
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Elgin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Elgin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Elgin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Elgin

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Elgin. For the veterans among your Elgin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Elgin lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Elgin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Elgin in 1943 was 40, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Elgin

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