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Scanlon Family History

Scanlon Surname Meaning

Irish (Kerry and Clare): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Scannláin ‘descendant of Scannlán’

a personal name formed from a diminutive of Scannal (see Scannell).

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 Scanlon family from?

You can see how Scanlon families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Scanlon family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Scanlon families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 172 Scanlon families living in Lancashire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Scanlon's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Scanlon families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Scanlon 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 Scanlon 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 Scanlon. 27% of Scanlon men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Scanlon women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Scanlon were Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Scanlon | 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
    27%
  • Builders Labourer
    16%
  • Builders Labourer heavy Worker
    7%
  • Incapacitated
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Scanlon family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 87,000 census records available for the last name Scanlon. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Scanlon census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Scanlon

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Scanlon. 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 Scanlon immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Scanlon. For the veterans among your Scanlon ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Scanlon military records

You've only scratched the surface of Scanlon family history

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What is the average Scanlon lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Scanlon life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Scanlon in 1944 was 44, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Scanlon

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Scanlon 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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