History of your Surname
Get access to Polan family records.Start a free trial

Polan Family History

Polan Name Meaning

Irish and English: variant of Irish Polin and English Pullen . This surname is rare in Britain. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Polyan a habitational name from Polyany in Belarus and Ukraine named with Slavic polyany ‘glad clearing’. Polish Czech and Sorbian: topographic name derived from Polish and Czech pole Lower Sorbian pólo Upper Sorbian polo ‘field’. The Sorbian surname is found mainly in Germanized forms Pohlan and Pollan .

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


Similar surnames: Polin, Polak, Poland, Polman, Pola, Polen, Poley, Holan, Nolen, Posen

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Polan family from?

You can see how Polan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Polan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Polan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 14 Polan families living in Quebec. This was about 47% of all the recorded Polan's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Polan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Polan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Polan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Polan. 20% of Polan men worked as a Salesman and 17% of Polan women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Polan were Operator and Saleslady. .

View Census Data for Polan | 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
    20%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Operator
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    17%
  • Bookkeeper
    17%
  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Saleslady
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Polan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Polan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Polan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Polan

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 948 military records available for the last name Polan. For the veterans among your Polan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Polan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Polan family history

Discover More

What is the average Polan lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Polan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Polan in 1957 was 30, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Polan

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Polan family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Polan last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial