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Kaplan Family History

Kaplan Name Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): surname sometimes used as a translation of Cohen from German Kaplan or Polish kapłan ‘chaplain curate’. German Swedish Czech Slovenian and Croatian; Slovak (Kaplán); Polish (Kapłan); Hungarian (Káplán): status name for a deacon chaplain or curate ultimately from Late Latin capellanus (see Chaplin ) or a nickname for someone resembling a clergyman. Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from kaplan ‘tiger’ possibly applied to someone thought to resemble a tiger typically in having indomitable courage or spirit. American shortened form of Greek Kaplanis from Turkish kaplan ‘tiger’ (see 3 above) or of any of its patronymics and other derivatives e.g. Kaplanidis and Kaplanoglou.

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


Similar surnames: Kaplon, Kalan, Kalin, Caplan, Kapral, Kalman, Kaplin, Kaplun, Caplin

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Where is the Kaplan family from?

You can see how Kaplan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kaplan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Kaplan families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 38 Kaplan families living in Ontario. This was about 51% of all the recorded Kaplan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Kaplan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kaplan 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 Kaplan ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Merchant and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Kaplan. 37% of Kaplan men worked as a Merchant and 60% of Kaplan women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kaplan were Marchande and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Kaplan | 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 1921

  • Merchant
    37%
  • Farmer
    27%
  • Tailor
    16%
  • Marchande
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    60%
  • Housekeeper
    40%
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What Kaplan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 102,000 census records available for the last name Kaplan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kaplan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kaplan

Passenger Lists

There are 57,000 immigration records available for the last name Kaplan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 22,000 military records available for the last name Kaplan. For the veterans among your Kaplan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Kaplan lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Kaplan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kaplan in 1940 was 44, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kaplan

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