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Elsen Family History

Elsen Name Meaning

German Flemish and Dutch: metronymic from a short form of the female personal name Elisabeth (see Elizabeth ). German; Dutch (also Van Elsen): habitational name from a place so named in North Rhine-Westphalia. Flemish and Dutch (also Van Elsen): habitational name for someone from any of various places called Elzen for example in North Brabant in the Netherlands and in the provinces of Brabant and Liège in Belgium. Flemish and Dutch (also Van den Elsen): topographic name from the plural of els ‘alder’.

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


Similar surnames: Ellen, Elson, Olsen, Elbe, Else, Felsen, Elton, Elston, Essen, Eisen

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Elsen family from?

You can see how Elsen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Elsen family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Elsen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 9 Elsen families living in Ontario. This was about 60% of all the recorded Elsen's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Elsen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Elsen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Elsen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Elsen. 21% of Elsen men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Elsen women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Elsen were Painter and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Elsen | 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
    21%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Painter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    17%
  • Stenographer
    14%
  • Housework
    14%
  • Teacher
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Elsen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Elsen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Elsen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Elsen

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Elsen. For the veterans among your Elsen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Elsen family history

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What is the average Elsen lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Elsen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Elsen in 1957 was 70, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Elsen

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