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Real Family History

Real Name Meaning

Spanish Catalan Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from any of numerous places called Real; those in Galicia (Spain) and Portugal being named from real ‘royal’ or as variant of Rial while those in southern Spain and Catalonia are named in part from real meaning ‘encampment rural property’ (Arabic raḥāl ‘farmhouse cabin’). Compare Del Real . Spanish; French (Réal): from Spanish and Old French real ‘royal’ hence a nickname for someone who behaved in a regal manner or an occupational name for someone in the service of the king or a topographic name for someone who lived on a land belonging to the king. As a French name it may also be a habitational name from Réal (Pyrénées-Orientales) a place called for having been part of a royal domain (compare Reaux ). Possibly an altered form of German Riehl or Rühl see Ruehl . English: variant of Ryall or Rail . Irish: from Ó Raghaill see Rawl .

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


Similar surnames: Beal, Reale, Regal, Read, Seal, Veal, Reil, Deal, Bean, Leal

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Real family from?

You can see how Real families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Real family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Real families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 56 Real families living in Devon. This was about 21% of all the recorded Real's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Real families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Real surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Real ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Real. 26% of Real men worked as a General Labourer and 77% of Real women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Real were Bricklayer and Domestic Duties Unpaid. .

View Census Data for Real | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    26%
  • Gardener
    10%
  • Incapacitated
    10%
  • Bricklayer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Retired
    5%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Domestic Duties Unpaid
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Real family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 76,000 census records available for the last name Real. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Real census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Real

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Real. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Real immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Real. For the veterans among your Real ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Real lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Real life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Real in 1947 was 58, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Real

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