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Vance Family History

Vance Surname Meaning

Scottish: apparently a spelling pronunciation of Vans a misreading of Vaus (see Vause ) in which -u- has been miscopied as -n-. If true it is probably limited to the Vans or Vaus family of Wigtownshire. It may be this surname that appears in Ireland from the early 17th century especially in Ulster but it could alternatively be the English name in 2 below. English: if not a transcription error for Vause (a surname well evidenced in Warwickshire and Leicestershire) a variant of Vann with post-medieval excrescent -s.

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


Similar surnames: Hance, Dance, Lance, Bane, Rance, Vince, Cancel, Bence, Lande, Bunce

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 Vance family from?

You can see how Vance families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Vance family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Vance families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 112 Vance families living in Ohio. This was about 19% of all the recorded Vance's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Vance families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Vance 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 Vance ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Vance. 18% of Vance men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Vance women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Vance were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Vance | 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
    18%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

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

What Vance family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 190,000 census records available for the last name Vance. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Vance census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Vance

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Vance. 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 Vance immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 51,000 military records available for the last name Vance. For the veterans among your Vance ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Vance military records

You've only scratched the surface of Vance family history

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What is the average Vance lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Vance life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Vance in 1943 was 36, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Vance

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