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Carlen Family History

Carlen Surname Meaning

Swedish (Carlén): variant of Karlén (see Karlen).

German and Swiss German: variant of Karlen and in North America probably also an altered form of this.

This surname which is very rare in Germany is also found in France (Alsace).

English: variant of Carlin.

Irish: shortened from Ó Cearbhalláin see Carolan.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Carlen family from?

You can see how Carlen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Carlen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Carlen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 10 Carlen families living in New Brunswick. This was about 26% of all the recorded Carlen's in Canada. New Brunswick had the highest population of Carlen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Carlen 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 Carlen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Carlen. 19% of Carlen men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Carlen women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Carlen were Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Carlen | 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
    19%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Truck Driver
    7%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Housekeeper
    9%

What Carlen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Carlen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Carlen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Carlen

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Carlen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Carlen family history

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What is the average Carlen lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Carlen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Carlen in 1957 was 34, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Carlen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Carlen 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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