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Galligan Family History

Galligan Surname Meaning

Irish (Cavan): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Gealagáin ‘descendant of Gealagán’

a personal name from a double diminutive of geal ‘bright white’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Galligan family from?

You can see how Galligan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Galligan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Galligan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 60 Galligan families living in Lancashire. This was about 57% of all the recorded Galligan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Galligan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Galligan 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 Galligan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Carpenter joiner and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Galligan. 43% of Galligan men worked as a Carpenter joiner and 82% of Galligan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Galligan were Miner and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Galligan | 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

  • Carpenter joiner
    43%
  • General Labourer
    29%
  • Miner
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Domestic Servant
    19%

What Galligan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Galligan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Galligan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Galligan

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Galligan. 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 Galligan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Galligan. For the veterans among your Galligan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Galligan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Galligan family history

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What is the average Galligan lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Galligan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Galligan in 1946 was 45, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Galligan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Galligan 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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