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Galen Family History

Galen Surname Meaning

Dutch (Van Galen): habitational name probably from the German town of Gahlen in North Rhine-Westphalia or perhaps from the village Gaal in the province of North Brabant.

English (Cambridgeshire and Essex): variant of Galyon or Gallon.

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


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Where is the Galen family from?

You can see how Galen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Galen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Galen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 5 Galen families living in Ontario. This was about 83% of all the recorded Galen's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Galen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Galen 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 Galen ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Galen. 100% of Galen men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Galen | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    100%

What Galen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Galen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Galen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Galen

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Galen. For the veterans among your Galen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Galen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Galen family history

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What is the average Galen lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Galen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Galen in 1947 was 58, and 58 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Galen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Galen 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Galen family tree

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