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Roan Family History

Roan Surname Meaning

Scottish and Irish: variant of Rowan. Scottish: habitational name from any of various places in Scotland called Roan (Ayrshire, Berwickshire, Roxburghshire) or from Roan (Cumberland).

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Rouen (Seine-Maritime). The medieval English name may have been reinforced by post-medieval French migrants.

English: from the Middle English female personal name Roana of unexplained etymology.

Native American: from English roan ‘(horse) having a coat in which the prevailing color is thickly interspersed with some other color’ used as translation (and shortening) of a personal name based on a Native American word with this meaning (see Roanhorse).

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


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Where is the Roan family from?

You can see how Roan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Roan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Roan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 31 Roan families living in Ontario. This was about 38% of all the recorded Roan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Roan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Roan 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 Roan ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Roan. 86% of Roan men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Roan | 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
    86%
  • Labourer
    15%

What Roan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25,000 census records available for the last name Roan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Roan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Roan

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Roan. 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 Roan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Roan. For the veterans among your Roan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Roan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Roan family history

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What is the average Roan lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Roan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Roan in 1946 was 35, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Roan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Roan 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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