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Phalen Family History

Phalen Surname Meaning

Altered form of Irish Phelan. Compare Phalin and Falen. Swedish (Phalén): variant of Falén see Falen.

Possibly also an Americanized form of German Fahlen or Vahlen: ethnic name for someone from East- or Westphalia from fal presumably referring to a plain.

Compare Falen.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Phalen family from?

You can see how Phalen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Phalen family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Phalen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 15 Phalen families living in Lancashire. This was about 94% of all the recorded Phalen's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Phalen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Phalen 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 Phalen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Phalen. 16% of Phalen men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Phalen women worked as a Bookkeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Phalen were Clerk and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Phalen | 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

  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Bookkeeper
    10%
  • Secretary
    10%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Stenographer
    8%

What Phalen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Phalen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Phalen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Phalen

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Phalen. For the veterans among your Phalen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Phalen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Phalen family history

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What is the average Phalen lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Phalen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Phalen in 1952 was 53, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Phalen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Phalen 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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