Fan Family History

Fan Surname Meaning

Chinese:: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 范 meaning ‘mould’ or ‘restrict’ in ancient Chinese: from the placename Fan (范) the name of a fief (located in present-day Fanxian in Henan province) granted to Shi Hui also known as Fan Wuzi (范武子) an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 樊 meaning ‘fence hedge’ in ancient Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of Tang the first king of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). The Fan family was one of the seven clans of the Shang dynasty that were sent to the state of Wey after the annihilation of the Shang dynasty.

(ii) from the placename Fan (樊) the name of a fief (located in present-day Jiyuan in Henan province) granted to Zhong Shanfu by King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC).

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

Similar surnames: Fang, Han, Pan, Yan, Tan, Gan, Kan, An, Man, Wan

10K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
1K	Military Records
6K	Immigration Records
8K	Census and Voter Lists
1K	Member Trees

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Where is the Fan family from?

You can see how Fan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fan families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 20 Fan families living in Ontario. This was about 27% of all the recorded Fan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Fan families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fan 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 Fan ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, instituteur was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Fan.

View Census Data for Fan

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.

instituteur

31%

Farmer

28%

Laundryman

13%

Labourer

10%

What Fan family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 8K census records available for the last name Fan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Fan

Passenger List

There are 6K immigration records available for the last name Fan. 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 Fan immigration records

Military Records

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

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You've only scratched the surface of Fan family history

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What is the average Fan lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2004, in the United States, Fan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Fan in 1966 was 80, and 74 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Fan family tree

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Fan Surname Meaning

(ii) from the placename Fan (樊) the name of a fief (located in present-day Jiyuan in Henan province) granted to Zhong Shanfu by King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC).

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

Where is the Fan family from?

What did your Fan ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, instituteur was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Fan.

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.

instituteur

31%

Farmer

28%

Laundryman

13%

Labourer

10%

What Fan family records will you find?

What is the average Fan lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2004, in the United States, Fan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Fan in 1966 was 80, and 74 in 2004.

Fan Family History

Fan Surname Meaning

28,000 record(s) for Fan

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

Where is the Fan family from?

What did your Fan ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1921

What Fan family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Fan family history

What is the average Fan lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Fan family tree

Search for another surname

Fan Surname Meaning

28,000 record(s) for Fan

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

Where is the Fan family from?

What did your Fan ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1921

What Fan family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Fan family history

What is the average Fan lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Fan family tree

Search for another surname