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Kiernan Family History

Kiernan Surname Meaning

Irish: shortened form of McKiernan an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Thighearnáin ‘son of Tighearnan’ (see Tiernan).

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


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Where is the Kiernan family from?

You can see how Kiernan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kiernan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kiernan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 21 Kiernan families living in Ontario. This was about 91% of all the recorded Kiernan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Kiernan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kiernan 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 Kiernan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kiernan. 11% of Kiernan men worked as a Laborer and 12% of Kiernan women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kiernan were Truck Driver and Bookkeeper.

View Census Data for Kiernan | 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
    11%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    12%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Bookkeeper
    7%

What Kiernan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 47,000 census records available for the last name Kiernan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kiernan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kiernan

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Kiernan. 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 Kiernan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Kiernan. For the veterans among your Kiernan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kiernan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kiernan family history

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What is the average Kiernan lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Kiernan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Kiernan in 1943 was 36, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kiernan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kiernan 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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