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Karen Family History

Karen Surname Meaning

Czech: from Kara or Kára derivatives of the personal name Karel (see Charles).

Jewish (Israeli): from the Hebrew noun meaning ‘ray (of sunlight)’ a Hebraicized form of some original Ashkenazic surname.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Karen family from?

You can see how Karen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Karen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Karen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 9 Karen families living in London. This was about 90% of all the recorded Karen's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Karen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Karen 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 Karen ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Karen. 100% of Karen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Karen | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Karen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Karen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Karen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Karen

Passenger Lists

There are 975 immigration records available for the last name Karen. 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 Karen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Karen. For the veterans among your Karen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Karen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Karen family history

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What is the average Karen lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2004, in the United States, Karen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Karen in 1967 was 67, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Karen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Karen 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Karen family tree

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