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Whalen Family History

Whalen Surname Meaning

Irish: variant of Whelan.

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 Whalen family from?

You can see how Whalen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Whalen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Whalen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 161 Whalen families living in Lancashire. This was about 40% of all the recorded Whalen's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Whalen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Whalen 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 Whalen 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 Whalen. 67% of Whalen men worked as a General Labourer and 84% of Whalen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Whalen were Builders Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Whalen | 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
    67%
  • Builders Labourer
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Whalen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 148,000 census records available for the last name Whalen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Whalen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Whalen

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Whalen. 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 Whalen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 28,000 military records available for the last name Whalen. For the veterans among your Whalen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Whalen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Whalen family history

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What is the average Whalen lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Whalen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Whalen in 1941 was 35, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Whalen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Whalen 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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