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Chapen Family History

Chapen Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Chapel, Chapin, Capen, Chazen, Chapek, Chasen, Chae, Hagen, Chopin

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Chapen family from?

You can see how Chapen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chapen family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Chapen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1851 there was 1 Chapen family living in Dumbartonshire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Chapen's in Scotland. Dumbartonshire and 1 other county had the highest population of Chapen families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chapen 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 Chapen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Chapen. 29% of Chapen men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Chapen women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Chapen were Farm Hand and Picker.

View Census Data for Chapen | 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, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    29%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Miner
    11%
  • Farm Hand
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    20%
  • Teacher
    15%
  • Stenographer
    15%
  • Picker
    10%

What Chapen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Chapen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chapen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chapen

Passenger Lists

There are 143 immigration records available for the last name Chapen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Chapen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 263 military records available for the last name Chapen. For the veterans among your Chapen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chapen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chapen family history

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What is the average Chapen lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Chapen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Chapen in 1963 was 66, and 82 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chapen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chapen 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 Chapen family tree

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