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Gagnon Family History

Gagnon Surname Meaning

French:: occupational name for a farmer or peasant from a diminutive noun derivative of the Old French verb gaaignier ‘to cultivate or work (the land)’; compare Wagnon nickname from Old French gaaignon ‘guard dog’ applied to an aggressive fierce man.

Possibly also from Occitan ganhon ‘young pig’ applied as an unflattering nickname.

Compare Gonyo.

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


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Where is the Gagnon family from?

You can see how Gagnon families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gagnon family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gagnon families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 9,568 Gagnon families living in Quebec. This was about 91% of all the recorded Gagnon's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Gagnon families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gagnon 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 Gagnon ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur and Servante were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Gagnon. 25% of Gagnon men worked as a Cultivateur and 10% of Gagnon women worked as a Servante. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gagnon were Fils Cultivateur and Journalier.

View Census Data for Gagnon | 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

  • Cultivateur
    25%
  • Journalier
    18%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Fils Cultivateur
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Servante
    10%
  • Institutrice
    7%
  • Couturire
    7%
  • Journalier
    7%

What Gagnon family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 265,000 census records available for the last name Gagnon. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gagnon census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gagnon

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Gagnon. 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 Gagnon immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18,000 military records available for the last name Gagnon. For the veterans among your Gagnon ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gagnon military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gagnon family history

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What is the average Gagnon lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Gagnon life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Gagnon in 1944 was 41, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gagnon

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gagnon 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.

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