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Kirwan Family History

Kirwan Surname Meaning

Irish (Galway): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ciardhubháin ‘descendant of Ciardhubhán’ a personal name based on ciar ‘dark’ + dubh ‘black’ + the diminutive suffix -an.

This name and its variants are also found in Lancashire England (see Kirvan Kirven Kirvin Kirwin).

Compare Carawan.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Kirwan family from?

You can see how Kirwan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kirwan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kirwan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 17 Kirwan families living in Ontario. This was about 81% of all the recorded Kirwan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Kirwan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kirwan 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 Kirwan ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Kirwan. 43% of Kirwan men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Kirwan women worked as a Clerk.

View Census Data for Kirwan | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    43%
  • Doctor
    29%
  • Labourer
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Clerk
    100%

What Kirwan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Kirwan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kirwan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kirwan

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Kirwan. 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 Kirwan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Kirwan. For the veterans among your Kirwan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kirwan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kirwan family history

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What is the average Kirwan lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Kirwan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Kirwan in 1953 was 47, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kirwan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kirwan 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kirwan family tree

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