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Cavan Family History

Cavan Surname Meaning

Irish (Down): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Caomháin ‘son of Caomhán (Kevin)’ a diminutive of the personal name Caomh (see O'Keefe). In some cases, the name may perhaps be an alternative Anglicized form of Caomhánach (see Kavanagh).

Filipino: variant of Caban.

Vietnamese: apparently from a combination of two personal names (the middle name Cả meaning ‘the eldest’ and the personal name Văn meaning ‘literature’) recorded as a surname after immigration of its bearers to the US.

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


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Where is the Cavan family from?

You can see how Cavan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cavan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cavan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 16 Cavan families living in Lancashire. This was about 26% of all the recorded Cavan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire and 1 other county had the highest population of Cavan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cavan 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 Cavan 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 Cavan. 100% of Cavan men worked as a General Labourer and 89% of Cavan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Cavan | 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
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Private Means
    12%

What Cavan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Cavan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cavan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cavan

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Cavan. 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 Cavan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Cavan. For the veterans among your Cavan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cavan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cavan family history

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What is the average Cavan lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Cavan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Cavan in 1963 was 80, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cavan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cavan 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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