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Gapen Family History

Gapen Surname Meaning

Altered form of French Guespin: nickname derived from Old French guespe ‘wasp’ referring to some characteristic of this insect.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gapen family from?

You can see how Gapen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gapen family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Gapen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 74 Gapen families living in Quebec. This was about 95% of all the recorded Gapen's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Gapen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gapen 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 Gapen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gapen. 37% of Gapen men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Gapen women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gapen were Mechanic and Laborer.

View Census Data for Gapen | 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
    37%
  • Laborer
    37%
  • Owner
    10%
  • Mechanic
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    60%
  • Laborer
    40%

What Gapen family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Gapen

Passenger Lists

There are 131 immigration records available for the last name Gapen. 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 Gapen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 584 military records available for the last name Gapen. For the veterans among your Gapen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gapen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gapen family history

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What is the average Gapen lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Gapen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Gapen in 1955 was 76, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gapen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gapen 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 Gapen family tree

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