The Childs surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 28,359 people carried this name — #1,242 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 10,400 people counted. That is up 4% from 27,266 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Childs surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley explains it as ‘the child’.

An early record he cites: Brian le Child, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Child, Childe, Childs and Chiles.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 177 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Childs was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Hertfordshire: 30 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 333. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Hertfordshire 30
Sussex 9

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

226 families named Childs, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,336 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Childs, Child, Childes, Chiles. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 93
Connecticut 30
Pennsylvania 18
Vermont 16
Rhode Island 15
New York 12
South Carolina 10
Maryland 8
Maine 7
Virginia 6
North Carolina 6
New Hampshire 5

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 234 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Childs in American newspapers,
1894–1924.

Newspaper page from Macon Beacon carrying the name Childs
Macon Beacon 1894-02-10
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Childs
Daily Kennebec Journal 1924-11-20
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Childs
Daily Kennebec Journal 1909-06-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Childs in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

25,540 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Childs. The most, 9,462, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 10,467
Queensland 5,381
South Australia 4,311
Victoria 2,386
Western Australia 1,485
Tasmania 1,209
ACT (Canberra) 230
Northern Territory 29

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Childs.

Who carried it

People named Childs,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Asa Childs
    Asa Childs 1767–1850
  • Cephas Grier Childs
    Cephas Grier Childs 1793–1871 · engraver
  • Harriet Childs d. 1846
  • Mabel Childs d. 1971
  • Cecile Wheeler Childs d. 1933
  • Timothy Childs d. 1821

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Childs,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,342 records

2,342 records of the Childs name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 951
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 491
  • Other U.S. records 900
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Philander R. Childs

    Born 1917 in Virginia. Enlisted 1941 at Fort George G Meade, Maryland; porter. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1985, buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Robert L. Childs

    Born 1930; from Cass County, Texas. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; declared dead 1950 in North Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Anne Childs

    Arrived at New York in 1882 aboard the Alaska from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 40; matron. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,342 records for Childs in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia639 records

639 records of the Childs name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 249
  • Tasmanian Names Index 146
  • Other Australian records 244
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Herbert Henry Childs

    Died 1926 in Repatriation Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1926.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Norman Francis Hilton Childs

    Born 1912 in Alexandra Hospital, Battery Point, Tasmania. Died 1933 in Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Richard Childs

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Eliza, arriving 1822; ticket of leave 1829. Native of Bedford, Todd'n.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 639 records for Childs in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada77 records

77 records of the Childs name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 31
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 16
  • Other Canadian records 30
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas Childs

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Moravian, landing at Quebec, bound for Stratford, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Joyce Evelyn Childs

    Died 1994, aged 59; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Margaret Elizabeth Childs

    Died 1912 in Port Hawkesbury, Inverness, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 77 records for Childs in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom58 records

58 records of the Childs name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 45
  • Welsh wills index cards 5
  • Other British records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Childs

    Died 1980, aged 69; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Thomas Childs

    Will proved in 1934; of Laugharne, Carmarthenshire.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Childs

    Royal Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 58 records for Childs in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand38 records

38 records of the Childs name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 32
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 3
  • Other New Zealand records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frederick Robert Childs

    Died 2000, aged 80; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lulu Florence Childs

    Died 1982, aged 86; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record E. Childs

    New Zealand, Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 38 records for Childs in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

France4 records

4 records of the Childs name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Hilda Childs

    Born 1915 in Chantilly (Oise); died 2001 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Ben Anthony Childs

    Born 1976 in Great Britain; died 2001 in Caderousse (Vaucluse).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Childs in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Childs name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Leslie Thomas Childs

    Married in 1945 in Aarle-Rixtel.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Annie Childs

    In a population register; born in Mannopark.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Childs in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Childs.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Childs is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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