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Edwards Family History

Edwards Surname Meaning

English and Welsh: variant of Edward with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s.

This surname is also very common among African Americans.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Edwards family from?

You can see how Edwards families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Edwards family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Edwards families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 429 Edwards families living in New York. This was about 13% of all the recorded Edwards's in USA. New York had the highest population of Edwards families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Edwards 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 Edwards ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Edwards. 17% of Edwards men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Edwards women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Edwards were Truck Driver and Cook.

View Census Data for Edwards | 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
    17%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Cook
    6%

What Edwards family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2 million census records available for the last name Edwards. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Edwards census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Edwards

Passenger Lists

There are 254,000 immigration records available for the last name Edwards. 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 Edwards immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 359,000 military records available for the last name Edwards. For the veterans among your Edwards ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Edwards military records

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