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Curtis Family History

Curtis Name Meaning

English: nickname for a refined person, sometimes no doubt given ironically, from Old French, Middle English curteis, co(u)rtois ‘refined’, ‘accomplished’ (a derivative of Old French court, see Court 1). English: from Middle English curt ‘short’ + hose ‘leggings’, hence a nickname for a short person or one who wore short stockings. This nickname was borne by William the Conqueror’s son Robert, but it is not clear whether it has given rise to any surnames. Altered form of French Courtois.

Similar surnames: Courtois, Cortes, Curtin, Curt, Custis, Purvis, Artis, Burts, Curie

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Where is the Curtis family from?

You can see how Curtis families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Curtis family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Curtis families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 401 Curtis families living in New York. This was about 20% of all the recorded Curtis's in USA. New York had the highest population of Curtis families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Curtis surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Curtis

What did your Curtis ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Curtis | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Laborer
16%
Farmer
14%
Salesman
5%
Truck Driver
4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Housewife
7%
Maid
7%
Teacher
7%
Housekeeper
6%

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What Curtis family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 860,000 census records available for the last name Curtis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Curtis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Curtis
Passenger Lists
There are 69,000 immigration records available for the last name Curtis. 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 Curtis immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 133,000 military records available for the last name Curtis. For the veterans among your Curtis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Curtis military records

Census Records

There are 860,000 census records available for the last name Curtis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Curtis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Curtis

Passenger Lists

There are 69,000 immigration records available for the last name Curtis. 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 Curtis immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 133,000 military records available for the last name Curtis. For the veterans among your Curtis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Curtis military records

You've only scratched the surface of Curtis family history

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What is the average Curtis lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Curtis life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Curtis in 1940 was 50, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Curtis