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Phelan Family History

Phelan Surname Meaning

Irish:: Anglicized form of Ó Faoláin ‘descendant of Faolán’ see Whelan. Anglicized form of Ó Fialáin ‘descendant of Fialán’ a personal name representing a diminutive of fial meaning ‘generous’ or ‘modest honourable’.

This is the surname of a bardic family in northern Ireland.

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


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Where is the Phelan family from?

You can see how Phelan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Phelan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Phelan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 195 Phelan families living in Lancashire. This was about 39% of all the recorded Phelan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Phelan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Phelan 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 Phelan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Phelan. 17% of Phelan men worked as a Builders Labourer and 70% of Phelan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Phelan were Railway Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Phelan | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    17%
  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Retired
    7%
  • Railway Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    2%

What Phelan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 94,000 census records available for the last name Phelan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Phelan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Phelan

Passenger Lists

There are 22,000 immigration records available for the last name Phelan. 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 Phelan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Phelan. For the veterans among your Phelan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Phelan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Phelan family history

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What is the average Phelan lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Phelan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Phelan in 1947 was 45, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Phelan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Phelan 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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