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Mullen Family History

Mullen Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Maoláin ‘descendant of Maolán’ a byname meaning ‘tonsured one devotee’ (from a diminutive of maol ‘bald’). The variants Ó Maoileáin and Ó Maoilín result in a variety of vowels in the Anglicized forms.

Dutch (Van der Mullen): variant of Van der Molen (see Molen).

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


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Where is the Mullen family from?

You can see how Mullen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mullen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mullen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 708 Mullen families living in Lancashire. This was about 37% of all the recorded Mullen's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Mullen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mullen 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 Mullen ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Mullen. 27% of Mullen men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Mullen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mullen were Public Works Contractors Labourer and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Mullen | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    27%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Public Works Contractors Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    2%

What Mullen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 296,000 census records available for the last name Mullen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mullen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Mullen

Passenger Lists

There are 48,000 immigration records available for the last name Mullen. 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 Mullen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 55,000 military records available for the last name Mullen. For the veterans among your Mullen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mullen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mullen family history

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What is the average Mullen lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Mullen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Mullen in 1942 was 67, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mullen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mullen 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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