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Austen Family History

Austen Surname Meaning

English: variant of Austin associated chiefly with southeastern England especially Kent.

German: from a shortened form of the personal name Augustin.

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 Austen family from?

You can see how Austen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Austen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Austen families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 963 Austen families living in Kent. This was about 41% of all the recorded Austen's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Austen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Austen 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 Austen 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 Austen. 8% of Austen men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Austen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Austen were Builders Labourer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Austen | 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
    8%
  • Gardener
    8%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Austen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 63,000 census records available for the last name Austen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Austen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Austen

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Austen. 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 Austen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Austen. For the veterans among your Austen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Austen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Austen family history

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What is the average Austen lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Austen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1998, and highest in 1977. The average life expectancy for Austen in 1964 was 81, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Austen

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

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