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Heiss Family History

Heiss Name Meaning

South German and Austrian: variant of Hiess, which is from an aphetic short form of the personal name Mathies (see Matthew). South German and Austrian: variant of Heuss. Jewish (Ashkenazic): ornamental from German heiss ‘hot’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Hess, Weiss, Reiss, Heis, Deiss, Hiss, Reis, Heims, Heise, Theiss

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 Heiss family from?

You can see how Heiss families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Heiss family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Heiss families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 9 Heiss families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 90% of all the recorded Heiss's in the USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Heiss families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Heiss 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 Heiss ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Heiss. 16% of Heiss men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Heiss women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Heiss were Clerk and Bookkeeper.

View Census data for Heiss | 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
    16%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations in 1940

  • Housewife
    16%
  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Teacher
    11%
  • Bookkeeper
    9%
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What Heiss family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Heiss

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Heiss. 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 Heiss immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Heiss. For the veterans among your Heiss ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Heiss military records

You've only scratched the surface of Heiss family history.

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What is the average Heiss lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Heiss life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Heiss in 1944 was 25, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Heiss

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