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Canahan Family History

Canahan Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Canavan, Banahan, Hanahan, Canaan, Lanahan, Conahan, Manahan

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Canahan family from?

You can see how Canahan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Canahan family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Canahan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 5 Canahan families living in Manitoba. This was about 63% of all the recorded Canahan's in Canada. Manitoba had the highest population of Canahan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Canahan 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 Canahan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Canahan. 32% of Canahan men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Canahan women worked as a Stenographer.

View Census Data for Canahan | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    32%
  • Clerk
    19%
  • Painter
    13%
  • Operator
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    100%

What Canahan family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Canahan

Passenger Lists

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Canahan. 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 Canahan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Canahan. For the veterans among your Canahan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Canahan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Canahan family history

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What is the average Canahan lifespan?

Average Canahan life expectancy in 1957 was 42 years. This was lower than the general public life expectancy which was 50.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Canahan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Canahan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Canahan family tree

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