This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Urban family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Urban Family History

Urban Surname Meaning

German, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovenian, Ukrainian, Belorussian, English, French, and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic); Hungarian (Urbán): from a personal name Latin Urbanus ‘city dweller’ (a derivative of urbs ‘town city’) borne by a 4th-century Christian saint, the patron saint of vines, and by seven early popes.

As a Jewish surname, this is an adoption of the Polish personal name. In North America, this surname may also be a shortened form of Slavic patronymics and other derivatives from the name Urban.

For example, it may include Polish Urbanczyk and Urbanowicz, as well as Slovenian Urbančič (see Urbancic) and Urbanič (see Urbanic).

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 Urban family from?

You can see how Urban families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Urban family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Urban families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 3 Urban families living in New York. This was about 38% of all the recorded Urban's in USA. New York had the highest population of Urban families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Urban surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Urban ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Urban. 18% of Urban men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Urban women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Urban were Salesman and Housework.

View Census Data for Urban | 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
    18%
  • Farmer
    11%
  • Miner
    4%
  • Salesman
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    7%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Housework
    6%

What Urban family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 61,000 census records available for the last name Urban. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Urban census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Urban

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Urban. 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 Urban immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 28,000 military records available for the last name Urban. For the veterans among your Urban ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Urban military records

You've only scratched the surface of Urban family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Urban family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial