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Ian Family History

Ian Surname Meaning

Chinese: variant of Yan.

Scottish: shortened and altered form of Gaelic Mac Gille Sheathain ‘son of the servant of Iain’ the Gaelic form of John.

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


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Where is the Ian family from?

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

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Ian. 100% of Ian men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Ian | 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
    100%

What Ian family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Ian

Passenger Lists

There are 643 immigration records available for the last name Ian. 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 Ian immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 307 military records available for the last name Ian. For the veterans among your Ian ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ian military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ian family history

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What is the average Ian lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2002, in the United States, Ian life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Ian in 1966 was 58, and 86 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ian

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

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