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Raven Family History

Raven Name Meaning

English and Scottish: from Middle English raven, used as a nickname for a thievish or dark-haired person. In some cases it may be from a personal name derived from this word, a survival into Middle English of the Old Norse byname Hrafn or of an Old English cognate name (Hræfn). A few early forms such as William atte Raven (London 1344) suggest that it may also in part be derived from a house sign. North German: from Middle Low German rave(n) ‘raven’, a nickname or an old personal name. Compare 1 above.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Rave, Graven, Aven, Savin, Haven, Laven, Ravan, Raben, Raper, Ravens

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Where is the Raven family from?

You can see how Raven families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Raven family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Raven families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1911 there were 74 Raven families living in Ontario. This was about 69% of all the recorded Raven's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Raven families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Raven 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 Raven ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the CA named Raven. 30% of Raven men worked as a Labourer and 75% of Raven women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Raven were Blacksmith and Clerk.

View Census data for Raven | 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

  • Labourer
    30%
  • Farmer
    24%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Blacksmith
    10%

Top Female Occupations in 1921

  • Teacher
    75%
  • Clerk
    25%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Raven family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 62,000 census records available for the last name Raven. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Raven census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Raven

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Raven. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Raven. For the veterans among your Raven ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Raven lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Raven life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Raven in 1953 was 41, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Raven

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