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Gails Family History

Gails 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: Gail, Fails, Vails, Nails, Hails, Bails, Gailes, Gains, Gill, Gall

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Gails family from?

You can see how Gails families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gails family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Gails families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 7 Gails families living in Illinois. This was about 25% of all the recorded Gails's in USA. Illinois had the highest population of Gails families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gails surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gails ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gails. 42% of Gails men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Gails women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gails were Farmer and Farm Laborer. .

View Census Data for Gails | 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
    42%
  • Farm Laborer
    34%
  • Farmer
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Farm Laborer
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gails family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 476 census records available for the last name Gails. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gails census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Gails

Passenger Lists

There are 47 immigration records available for the last name Gails. 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 Gails immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 70 military records available for the last name Gails. For the veterans among your Gails ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gails military records

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What is the average Gails lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2002, in the United States, Gails life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1989, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Gails in 1967 was 73, and 63 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gails

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