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Selvin Family History

Selvin Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Sellin, Melvin, Servin, Selvig, Selin, Sevin, Belvin, Elvin, Seldin

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Selvin family from?

You can see how Selvin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Selvin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Selvin families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 3 Selvin families living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Selvin's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Selvin families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Selvin 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 Selvin ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Clerk and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Selvin. 23% of Selvin men worked as a Clerk and 30% of Selvin women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Selvin were Printer and Beautician.

View Census Data for Selvin | 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

  • Clerk
    23%
  • Operator
    17%
  • Salesman
    17%
  • Printer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    30%
  • Saleslady
    18%
  • Secretary
    18%
  • Beautician
    12%

What Selvin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Selvin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Selvin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Selvin

Passenger Lists

There are 388 immigration records available for the last name Selvin. 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 Selvin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 161 military records available for the last name Selvin. For the veterans among your Selvin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Selvin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Selvin family history

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What is the average Selvin lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Selvin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Selvin in 1962 was 74, and 96 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Selvin

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Selvin 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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