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Shanken Family History

Shanken 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: Shankel, Hanken, Shanker, Hankin, Shankar, Sankey, Shannon, Hanke

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Shanken family from?

You can see how Shanken families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shanken family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shanken families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 2 Shanken families living in Quebec. This was 100% of all the recorded Shanken's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Shanken families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shanken 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 Shanken ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shanken. 47% of Shanken men worked as a Salesman and 50% of Shanken women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shanken were Laborer and Clerk.

View Census Data for Shanken | 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

  • Salesman
    47%
  • Clerk
    14%
  • Proprietor
    14%
  • Laborer
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    50%
  • Clerk
    50%

What Shanken family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 447 census records available for the last name Shanken. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shanken census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Shanken

Passenger Lists

There are 92 immigration records available for the last name Shanken. 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 Shanken immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 61 military records available for the last name Shanken. For the veterans among your Shanken ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shanken military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shanken family history

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What is the average Shanken lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Shanken life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Shanken in 1964 was 80, and 93 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shanken

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shanken 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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