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Gelen Family History

Gelen Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Glen, Galen, Jelen, Belen, Geen, Gelin, Gehlen, Geren, Golen, Gale

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gelen family from?

You can see how Gelen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gelen family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Gelen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1851 there were 6 Gelen families living in Stirlingshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Gelen's in Scotland. Stirlingshire had the highest population of Gelen families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gelen 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 Gelen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gelen. 60% of Gelen men worked as a Laborer and 56% of Gelen women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gelen were Farming and Cook.

View Census Data for Gelen | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    60%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Farming
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    56%
  • Student Nurse
    23%
  • Cook
    23%

What Gelen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 558 census records available for the last name Gelen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gelen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gelen

Passenger Lists

There are 198 immigration records available for the last name Gelen. 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 Gelen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 34 military records available for the last name Gelen. For the veterans among your Gelen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gelen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gelen family history

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What is the average Gelen lifespan?

Between 1968 and 1998, in the United States, Gelen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Gelen in 1968 was 77, and 69 in 1998.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gelen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gelen 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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