Raven Family History

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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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Raven Ethnicity Estimate

What are the common regions with the Raven name?

These results combine data from everyone in the AncestryDNA® database with the last name Raven. The Ancestry® ethnicity regions shown are top five most common on average for these people.

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  • England & Wales

    49%

  • Ireland & Scotland

    18%

  • Germanic Europe

    7%

  • Eastern Europe & Russia

    4%

  • Norway

    3%

Your own DNA-based ethnicity estimate will differ from what you see here. To get your personalized ethnicity estimate, order an AncestryDNA® kit.order an AncestryDNA® kit.

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Raven Family Origin

Where is the Raven family from?

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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.

View Census Data for Raven

Raven Family Occupations

What did your Raven ancestors do for a living?

In 1881, the most common Raven occupation in Canada was Farmer. 39% of Raven's were Farmers. A less common occupation for the Raven family was Blacksmith. Farmer, Dress Maker and Agent were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Raven.

View Census data for Raven | Data not to scale

  • Farmer

    39%

  • Dress Maker

    11%

  • Agent

    6%

  • Blacksmith

    6%

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Raven ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

Raven Historical Records

What Raven family records will you find?

Census Record

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 1881 Canadian census records for Raven

Passenger List

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 Card

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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Raven Life Expectancy

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

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Raven 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.

Famous Raven Family Ancestors

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