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Holden Family History

Holden Name Meaning

English: habitational name from one or more of various places so named especially Holden in Haslingden (Lancashire) but also Holden in Bolton and Holden in Silsden (both Yorkshire) Holedean Farm in Henfield and Holden in Rotherfield (both Sussex) Holding Farm in Cheriton and Woolding Farm in Whitchurch (Hampshire) and Holden in Southborough (Kent). Most of the placenames derive from Old English hol ‘hollow’ + denu ‘valley’ though Holden in Rotherfield (Sussex) and Holden in Southborough (Kent) may have Old English denn ‘pasture’ as the final element. Compare Holcomb . Norwegian: habitational name from the name of several farms most of them derived from Old Norse hǫll ‘slope hillside’.

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


Similar surnames: Holben, Howden, Colden, Holien, Hollen, Holder, Holten, Olden, Hole

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Holden family from?

You can see how Holden families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Holden family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Holden families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 436 Holden families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Holden's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Holden families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Holden 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 Holden ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Nurse were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Holden. 32% of Holden men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Holden women worked as a Nurse. Some less common occupations for Americans named Holden were Machinist and Income. .

View Census Data for Holden | 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

  • Farmer
    32%
  • Labourer
    13%
  • Laborer
    6%
  • Machinist
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Nurse
    12%
  • Housekeeper
    11%
  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Income
    8%
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What Holden family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 402,000 census records available for the last name Holden. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Holden census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Holden

Passenger Lists

There are 40,000 immigration records available for the last name Holden. 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 Holden immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 50,000 military records available for the last name Holden. For the veterans among your Holden ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Holden military records

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What is the average Holden lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Holden life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Holden in 1940 was 37, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Holden

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