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Zwahlen Family History

Zwahlen Surname Meaning

North German: probably from Middle Low German swal ‘stream (of water) gush outpour’ a nickname for a talker or babbler.

Alternatively perhaps a habitational name from Schwallen in former East Prussia.

The surname Zwahlen is very rare in Germany.

Swiss German: unexplained.

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


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Where is the Zwahlen family from?

You can see how Zwahlen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Zwahlen family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Zwahlen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 11 Zwahlen families living in Ohio. This was about 34% of all the recorded Zwahlen's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Zwahlen families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Zwahlen 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 Zwahlen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Zwahlen. 38% of Zwahlen men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Zwahlen women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Zwahlen were Attendant and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Zwahlen | 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

  • Farmer
    38%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Manager
    10%
  • Attendant
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%

What Zwahlen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Zwahlen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Zwahlen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Zwahlen

Passenger Lists

There are 427 immigration records available for the last name Zwahlen. 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 Zwahlen immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Zwahlen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Zwahlen family history

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What is the average Zwahlen lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2003, in the United States, Zwahlen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Zwahlen in 1953 was 51, and 82 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Zwahlen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Zwahlen 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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