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Canaan Family History

Canaan Surname Meaning

Jewish (American and Israeli): modern Hebrew name from Canaan the name of the promised land in the Bible.

See also Kanaan.

Irish: variant of Cannon.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Canaan family from?

You can see how Canaan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Canaan family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Canaan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there was 1 Canaan family living in British Columbia. This was 100% of all the recorded Canaan's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Canaan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Canaan 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 Canaan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Cashier were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Canaan. 50% of Canaan men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Canaan women worked as a Cashier. Some less common occupations for Americans named Canaan were Farmer and Teacher.

View Census Data for Canaan | 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

  • Laborer
    50%
  • Manager
    17%
  • Farm Laborer
    17%
  • Farmer
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cashier
    34%
  • Washerwoman
    34%
  • Teacher
    34%

What Canaan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Canaan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Canaan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Canaan

Passenger Lists

There are 510 immigration records available for the last name Canaan. 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 Canaan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Canaan. For the veterans among your Canaan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Canaan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Canaan family history

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What is the average Canaan lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Canaan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Canaan in 1948 was 41, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Canaan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Canaan 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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