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Fagan Family History

Fagan Surname Meaning

Irish:: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Fágáin or Ó Faodhagáin dialect forms of Ó hÓgáin (see Hogan Hagan) and Ó hAodhagáin (see Hagan). Irish lenited f (spelled fh) is soundless and a number of words beginning with vowels have gained an initial f in some dialects; such seems to be the case here.

Occasionally an Anglicized form of Mac Phaidín (see McFadden) or Ó Fiacháin (see Feehan).

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


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Where is the Fagan family from?

You can see how Fagan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fagan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fagan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 541 Fagan families living in Lancashire. This was about 40% of all the recorded Fagan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Fagan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fagan 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 Fagan 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 Fagan. 30% of Fagan men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Fagan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fagan were General Labourer Heavy Worker and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Fagan | 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
    30%
  • Dock Labourer
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Fagan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 123,000 census records available for the last name Fagan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fagan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fagan

Passenger Lists

There are 23,000 immigration records available for the last name Fagan. 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 Fagan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 25,000 military records available for the last name Fagan. For the veterans among your Fagan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fagan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fagan family history

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What is the average Fagan lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Fagan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Fagan in 1944 was 34, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fagan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fagan 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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