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Svensen Family History

Svensen Surname Meaning

Norwegian and Danish: patronymic from the personal name Sven from Old Norse Sveinn originally a byname meaning ‘boy servant’. It is rare in Denmark.

Compare Svenson Swanson Swensen Swenson and Swinson.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Svensen family from?

You can see how Svensen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Svensen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Svensen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 10 Svensen families living in Manitoba. This was about 91% of all the recorded Svensen's in Canada. Manitoba had the highest population of Svensen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Svensen 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 Svensen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Svensen. 39% of Svensen men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Svensen women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Svensen were Student and Bookkeeper.

View Census Data for Svensen | 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

  • Farmer
    39%
  • Carpenter
    29%
  • Salesman
    15%
  • Student
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Servant
    43%
  • Maid
    29%
  • Bookkeeper
    29%

What Svensen family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Svensen

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Svensen. 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 Svensen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 256 military records available for the last name Svensen. For the veterans among your Svensen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Svensen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Svensen family history

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What is the average Svensen lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2003, in the United States, Svensen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1967, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Svensen in 1962 was 88, and 73 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Svensen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Svensen 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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