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Runyon Family History

Runyon Surname Meaning

Americanized form of French Rongnion (or perhaps of some other similar French surname): unexplained. The surname Rongnion is no longer found in France. Compare Runion, Runnion, Runyan, and Runyen.

Possibly also Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Rúnaidhin ‘descendant of Rúnaidhin’ from a pet form of the personal name Ruanaidh (see Rooney).

This form of the surname has now died out in Ireland and Britain.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Runyon family from?

You can see how Runyon families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Runyon family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. The most Runyon families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 38 Runyon families living in Ohio. This was about 32% of all the recorded Runyon's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Runyon families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Runyon surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Runyon ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Runyon. 17% of Runyon men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Runyon women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Runyon were Salesman and Teacher.

View Census Data for Runyon | 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
    17%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Miner
    7%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Teacher
    7%

What Runyon family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Runyon. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Runyon census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Runyon

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Runyon. For the veterans among your Runyon ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Runyon military records

You've only scratched the surface of Runyon family history

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What is the average Runyon lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Runyon life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Runyon in 1940 was 35, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Runyon

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Runyon 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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