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Darwen Family History

Darwen Surname Meaning

From Darwen in Lancs on the River Derwent from which it derives its name (British Celtic Derwentjū either a river-name of an ancient type of unknown meaning or from British derw- ‘oak’).

Variant of Darwin.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Darwen family from?

You can see how Darwen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Darwen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1911. The most Darwen families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 104 Darwen families living in Lancashire. This was about 68% of all the recorded Darwen's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Darwen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Darwen 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 Darwen 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 Darwen. 25% of Darwen men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Darwen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Darwen were Builders Labourer and Invalid.

View Census Data for Darwen | 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
    25%
  • Incapacitated
    25%
  • Plumber electrician
    25%
  • Builders Labourer
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Cotton Weaver
    16%
  • Operative Cotton Weaver
    4%
  • Invalid
    4%

What Darwen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Darwen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Darwen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Darwen

Passenger Lists

There are 254 immigration records available for the last name Darwen. 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 Darwen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 209 military records available for the last name Darwen. For the veterans among your Darwen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Darwen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Darwen family history

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What is the average Darwen lifespan?

Between 1976 and 1992, in the United States, Darwen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Darwen in 1976 was 56, and 70 in 1992.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Darwen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Darwen 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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