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Cornelius Family History

Cornelius Name Meaning

Dutch German Danish and southern English: from the Latin personal name Cornelius (originally an old Roman surname probably derived from cornu ‘horn’) borne by a 3rd-century pope and Christian saint. In England this name is rarely found before the 16th century when the name was brought to England from the Low Countries by Protestants among whom it was also a popular name in the vernacular form Cornelis. In North America this surname may also be an altered form of the German or Dutch variant Kornelius.

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


Similar surnames: Cornell, Cornelio, Cornellier, Cornelsen, Cornely, Corner, Chelius

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Cornelius family from?

You can see how Cornelius families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cornelius family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cornelius families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 42 Cornelius families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 21% of all the recorded Cornelius's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Cornelius families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cornelius surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Cornelius ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Cornelius. 20% of Cornelius men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Cornelius women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cornelius were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Cornelius | 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
    20%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    8%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Maid
    7%
  • Teacher
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cornelius family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 99,000 census records available for the last name Cornelius. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cornelius census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Cornelius

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Cornelius. 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 Cornelius immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Cornelius. For the veterans among your Cornelius ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cornelius military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cornelius family history

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What is the average Cornelius lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Cornelius life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Cornelius in 1944 was 31, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cornelius

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