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Hansen Family History

Hansen Surname Meaning

Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Flemish, and North German: patronymic from the personal name Hans. This is the most common surname in Norway. Compare Hanson 4 and also 2 below.

Americanized form of Norwegian, North German, Dutch, Flemish, and Danish Hanssen, a variant of 1 above. Compare Hansson.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Hansen family from?

You can see how Hansen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hansen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hansen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 137 Hansen families living in London. This was about 22% of all the recorded Hansen's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Hansen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hansen 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 Hansen 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 Hansen. 19% of Hansen men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Hansen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hansen were Carpenter and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Hansen | 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
    19%
  • Dock Labourer
    14%
  • Fisherman
    11%
  • Carpenter
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%

What Hansen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 553,000 census records available for the last name Hansen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hansen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hansen

Passenger Lists

There are 377,000 immigration records available for the last name Hansen. 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 Hansen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 117,000 military records available for the last name Hansen. For the veterans among your Hansen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hansen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hansen family history

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What is the average Hansen lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Hansen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Hansen in 1940 was 36, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hansen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hansen 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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