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Devlin Family History

Devlin Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Dobhailéin ‘descendant of Dobhailéan’ a personal name probably from a diminutive of dobhail ‘unlucky unfortunate’.

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


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Where is the Devlin family from?

You can see how Devlin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Devlin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Devlin families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 297 Devlin families living in Lancashire. This was about 35% of all the recorded Devlin's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Devlin families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Devlin 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 Devlin 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 Devlin. 36% of Devlin men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Devlin women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Devlin were General Labourer Unemployed and Unpaid House Duties.

View Census Data for Devlin | 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
    36%
  • Dock Labourer
    10%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • General Labourer Unemployed
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Unpaid House Duties
    2%

What Devlin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 109,000 census records available for the last name Devlin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Devlin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Devlin

Passenger Lists

There are 26,000 immigration records available for the last name Devlin. 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 Devlin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Devlin. For the veterans among your Devlin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Devlin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Devlin family history

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What is the average Devlin lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Devlin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Devlin in 1943 was 57, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Devlin

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Devlin 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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