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Gelin Family History

Gelin Surname Meaning

French (also Gélin): from Old French gelin ‘chicken’ possibly a nickname for a fearful person or a metonymic occupational name for a poultry breeder.

Alternatively a variant of Geslin from the ancient Germanic personal name Giselo from gisal ‘hostage’. This surname is also common in Haiti and is found in Germany as well.

Swedish: ornamental name from an unexplained first element + the adjectival suffix -in a derivative of Latin -in(i)us ‘relating to’.

Jewish (from Belarus and Ukraine): variant of Gelles.

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


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Where is the Gelin family from?

You can see how Gelin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gelin family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Gelin families were found in USA in 1920. In 1841 there was 1 Gelin family living in West Lothian. This was 100% of all the recorded Gelin's in Scotland. West Lothian had the highest population of Gelin families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gelin surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1871
  • 1891
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What did your Gelin ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gelin. 39% of Gelin men worked as a Salesman and 50% of Gelin women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gelin were Laborer and Typist.

View Census Data for Gelin | 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

  • Salesman
    39%
  • Manager
    16%
  • Truck Driver
    16%
  • Laborer
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    50%
  • Typist
    50%

What Gelin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Gelin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gelin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gelin

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 315 military records available for the last name Gelin. For the veterans among your Gelin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gelin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gelin family history

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What is the average Gelin lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Gelin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Gelin in 1958 was 55, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gelin

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gelin 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.

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