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Nguyen Family History

Nguyen Surname Meaning

Vietnamese (Nguyễn):: from Chinese ruan (阮) which denotes a type of traditional Chinese stringed instrument. Compare the Mandarin Chinese name Ruan Cantonese Yuen.

Possibly also from old Vietnamese words such as nguồn ‘spring fountain’ or ngòi ‘canal small river’ applied as a topographic name.

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


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Where is the Nguyen family from?

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Nguyen 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 Nguyen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 579 census records available for the last name Nguyen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Nguyen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 39,000 immigration records available for the last name Nguyen. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 839 military records available for the last name Nguyen. For the veterans among your Nguyen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Nguyen lifespan?

Between 1975 and 2004, in the United States, Nguyen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1975. The average life expectancy for Nguyen in 1975 was 69, and 66 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Nguyen 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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