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Westen Family History

Westen Surname Meaning

German Dutch and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch westen, German Westen ‘west’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived to the west of a settlement or a habitational name for one who had migrated from further west.

The Jewish name may also be of ornamental origin.

Swedish (mainly Westén): ornamental or habitational name formed with an altered form of the (placename) element väst ‘west’ + the adjectival suffix -én, a derivative of Latin -enius ‘relating to’.

Compare Westin.

English (London): variant of Weston.

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 Westen family from?

You can see how Westen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Westen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Westen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 16 Westen families living in Ontario. This was about 67% of all the recorded Westen's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Westen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Westen 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 Westen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Westen. 27% of Westen men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Westen women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Westen were Salesman and House Wife.

View Census Data for Westen | 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
    27%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Labor
    5%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    22%
  • Housework
    22%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • House Wife
    15%

What Westen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Westen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Westen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Westen

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Westen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Westen family history

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What is the average Westen lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Westen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1972, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Westen in 1963 was 74, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Westen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Westen 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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