History of your Surname
Get access to Yen family records.Start a free trial

Yen Family History

Yen Name Meaning

Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 嚴 閻 閆 顏 晏 言 燕 鄢 彦 and 延 see Yan 1–10. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 甄 see Zhen . Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 殷 see Yin Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 袁 see Yuan Vietnamese (Yên): from the Chinese surname 鄢 see Yan 8.

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


Similar surnames: Yan, Yee, Wen, Yuen, Yun, Yin, Yue, Yon, Yep, Yeh

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Yen family from?

You can see how Yen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Yen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Yen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 13 Yen families living in British Columbia. This was about 52% of all the recorded Yen's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Yen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Yen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Yen ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Yen. 36% of Yen men worked as a Labourer. .

View Census Data for Yen | 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

  • Labourer
    36%
  • Cook
    18%
  • Laundryman
    15%
  • Laborer
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Yen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Yen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Yen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Yen

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Yen. 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.

View all Yen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Yen. For the veterans among your Yen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Yen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Yen family history

Discover More

What is the average Yen lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Yen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1984, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Yen in 1962 was 68, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Yen

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Yen family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Yen last name

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