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Collan Family History

Collan 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: Callan, Collin, Colla, Pollan, Wollan, Colgan, Collar, Colman

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Collan family from?

You can see how Collan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Collan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Collan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 18 Collan families living in Ontario. This was about 31% of all the recorded Collan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Collan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Collan 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 Collan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Collan. 21% of Collan men worked as a Laborer and 25% of Collan women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Collan were Machinist and Housewife.

View Census Data for Collan | 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
    21%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Bookkeeper
    13%
  • Machinist
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Clerk
    25%
  • Maid
    17%
  • Housewife
    17%

What Collan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Collan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Collan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Collan

Passenger Lists

There are 671 immigration records available for the last name Collan. 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 Collan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 249 military records available for the last name Collan. For the veterans among your Collan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Collan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Collan family history

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What is the average Collan lifespan?

Between 1971 and 1995, in the United States, Collan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Collan in 1971 was 83, and 54 in 1995.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Collan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Collan 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 Collan family tree

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