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Fenn Family History

Fenn Surname Meaning

English: topographic name in south-east England for someone who lived in a low-lying marshy area from Middle English fen(ne) ‘fen marsh’ (Old English fenn).

South German: topographic name from Old High German fenni Middle Low German and Old Frisian fenne ‘bog’. Compare Fehn.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 馮 see Feng.

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


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Where is the Fenn family from?

You can see how Fenn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fenn family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fenn families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 843 Fenn families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Fenn's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Fenn families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fenn 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 Fenn 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 Fenn. 9% of Fenn men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Fenn women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fenn were Gardener and Private Means.

View Census Data for Fenn | 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
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Farm Labourer
    5%
  • Gardener
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Fenn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 101,000 census records available for the last name Fenn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fenn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fenn

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Fenn. 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 Fenn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Fenn. For the veterans among your Fenn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fenn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fenn family history

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What is the average Fenn lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Fenn life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Fenn in 1944 was 45, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fenn

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fenn 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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