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Evans Family History

Evans Surname Meaning

Welsh: derivative of Evan from Efan Ifan medieval forms of Ieuan (from Latin Johannes the source of English John) dating from c. 1500 with the post-medieval patronymic suffix -s. Welsh Sion was a separate borrowing of English John and Evan (Ieuan) and Sion developed as independent names.

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


Similar surnames: Evan, Bevans, Evanson, Emans, Evens, Levens, Jeans, Levins, Ovens

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 Evans family from?

You can see how Evans families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Evans family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Evans families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 510 Evans families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 14% of all the recorded Evans's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Evans families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Evans 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 Evans ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Evans. 16% of Evans men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Evans women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Evans were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Evans | 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
    16%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

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

What Evans family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3 million census records available for the last name Evans. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Evans census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Evans

Passenger Lists

There are 479,000 immigration records available for the last name Evans. 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 Evans immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 425,000 military records available for the last name Evans. For the veterans among your Evans ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Evans family history

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What is the average Evans lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Evans life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Evans in 1940 was 45, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Evans

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