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Behnken Family History

Behnken Surname Meaning

North German: patronymic from the personal name Behn.

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


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Where is the Behnken family from?

You can see how Behnken families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Behnken family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Behnken families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 17 Behnken families living in New York. This was about 41% of all the recorded Behnken's in USA. New York had the highest population of Behnken families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Behnken 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 Behnken ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Behnken. 23% of Behnken men worked as a Farmer and 37% of Behnken women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Behnken were Clerk and Housework.

View Census Data for Behnken | 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
    23%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Farm Operator
    10%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    37%
  • Housewife
    37%
  • Housework
    28%

What Behnken family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Behnken

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Behnken. 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 Behnken immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 548 military records available for the last name Behnken. For the veterans among your Behnken ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Behnken military records

You've only scratched the surface of Behnken family history

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What is the average Behnken lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Behnken life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Behnken in 1953 was 41, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Behnken

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Behnken 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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