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Pen Family History

Pen Name Meaning

English: variant of Penn . Dutch: metonymic occupational name for a clerk or penman from pen ‘pen’ or for a craftsman using pins from pen ‘pin’ (compare Pin ). Breton (mainly Le Pen): topographic name or nickname from penn ‘head’. Alternatively perhaps a cognate of French Payen (compare Pean ). Compare also Pene 2 and Penn 8. Slovenian: nickname or ethnic name of the same origin as German Böhm (see Boehm ) meaning ‘Bohemian’ (i.e. ‘Czech’). Alternatively from an old short form of the personal name Pernhart an old South German variant of Bernhard (see Bernard ). Cambodian: written ប៉ែន of Chinese origin (see Bin ).

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

Similar surnames: Penn, Pan, Pin, Pee, Ren, Oen, Men, Ken, Jen, Len

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Where is the Pen family from?

You can see how Pen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 5 Pen families living in Manitoba. This was about 38% of all the recorded Pen's in Canada. Manitoba and 1 other province had the highest population of Pen families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Pen

What Pen family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Pen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search Canadian census records for Pen
Passenger Lists
There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Pen. 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 Pen immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Pen. For the veterans among your Pen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Pen military records

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Pen

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Pen. 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 Pen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Pen. For the veterans among your Pen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pen family history

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What is the average Pen lifespan?

Between 1975 and 2003, in the United States, Pen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Pen in 1975 was 58, and 75 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pen

Browse profiles of historical people with the Pen last name

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