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Biffen Family History

Biffen Surname Meaning

Perhaps a variant of Bevin which has sometimes been confused with Welsh Bevan. The devoicing of /v/ to /f/ between vowels is unexpected however especially in SW England where intervocalic /v/ was normal dialectal usage.

Bevin is well attested in Somerset from medieval times, possibly for someone who lived by a fen (Middle English bi + fen) but the earliest forms are too late to be confident about this explanation.

See Fenn.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Biffen family from?

You can see how Biffen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Biffen family name was found in the UK in 1891. In 1891 there were 45 Biffen families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded Biffen's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Biffen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Biffen 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 Biffen ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Biffen. 50% of Biffen men worked as a Builders Labourer and 84% of Biffen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Biffen were Farmer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Biffen | 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.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    50%
  • Farmer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • House Wife
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%

What Biffen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Biffen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Biffen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Biffen

Passenger Lists

There are 289 immigration records available for the last name Biffen. 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 Biffen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 209 military records available for the last name Biffen. For the veterans among your Biffen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Biffen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Biffen family history

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What is the average Biffen lifespan?

Between 1973 and 2003, in the United States, Biffen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2003, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Biffen in 1973 was 76, and 42 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Biffen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Biffen 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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