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Geffen Family History

Geffen Name Meaning

Jewish (Israeli): artificial name from Hebrew gefen ‘vine’ a Hebraicization usually of the various Ashkenazic surnames from German Wein . North German: from an ancient Germanic personal name formed with geba ‘gift’ for example Gebhardt . English: from the Middle English personal name Geff a pet form of Geoffrey (see Jeffrey ) with the characteristically West Midland genitival suffix -en. Dutch (Van Geffen): habitational name from the village Geffen in the province of North Brabant.

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


Similar surnames: Gerfen, Offen, Geen, Leffel, Geffner, Huffer, Jessen, Efron, Gerken

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Geffen family from?

You can see how Geffen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Geffen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Geffen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 6 Geffen families living in Ontario. This was about 55% of all the recorded Geffen's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Geffen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Geffen 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 Geffen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Geffen. 48% of Geffen men worked as a Salesman and 17% of Geffen women worked as a Bookkeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Geffen were Bookkeeper and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Geffen | 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

  • Salesman
    48%
  • Manager
    11%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Bookkeeper
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Bookkeeper
    17%
  • Stenographer
    17%
  • Secretary
    13%
  • Teacher
    13%
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What Geffen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Geffen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Geffen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Geffen

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 325 military records available for the last name Geffen. For the veterans among your Geffen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Geffen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Geffen family history

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What is the average Geffen lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Geffen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1965, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Geffen in 1962 was 72, and 89 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Geffen

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