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Allison Family History

Allison Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: patronymic from the Middle English female personal name Alice Alis (see Allis ) + -son meaning ‘Alice's son’. English and Scottish: from the Middle English female personal name Alison a common pet form of Alice Alis. See Allis and compare Ellison . Scottish: in some cases a late variant of Allanson (see also Allinson ). Scottish: variant of Callison a shortened form of McAlison a Gaelic patronymic based on the personal name Alison (see 2 above).

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

Similar surnames: Callison, Allinson, Allis, Alliston, Addison, Alexson, Ellison

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Where is the Allison family from?

You can see how Allison families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Allison family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Allison families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 153 Allison families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 22% of all the recorded Allison's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Allison families in 1840.

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

View Census Data for Allison

What did your Allison ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Allison | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Farmer
17%
Laborer
15%
Salesman
5%
Truck Driver
4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Teacher
7%
Housekeeper
7%
Housewife
7%
Maid
5%

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What Allison family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 379,000 census records available for the last name Allison. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Allison census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Allison
Passenger Lists
There are 34,000 immigration records available for the last name Allison. 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 Allison immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 65,000 military records available for the last name Allison. For the veterans among your Allison ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Allison military records

Census Records

There are 379,000 census records available for the last name Allison. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Allison census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Allison

Passenger Lists

There are 34,000 immigration records available for the last name Allison. 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 Allison immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 65,000 military records available for the last name Allison. For the veterans among your Allison ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Allison military records

You've only scratched the surface of Allison family history

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What is the average Allison lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Allison life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Allison in 1940 was 45, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Allison

Browse profiles of historical people with the Allison last name