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Behrens Family History

Behrens Name Meaning

North German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): patronymic from Behrend a variant of Bernhard . According to documentary evidence for Germans the earlier form Be(h)rendes was generally replaced by Behrens during the 17th century. Jews used the personal name Behrend because its initial sounds are close to those of the common Yiddish name Ber .

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


Similar surnames: Behrend, Behrends, Berens, Mehrens, Berns, Behrns, Berends, Behrendt

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Behrens family from?

You can see how Behrens families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Behrens family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Behrens families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Behrens family living in Kentucky. This was about 50% of all the recorded Behrens's in USA. Kentucky and 1 other state had the highest population of Behrens families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Behrens surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Behrens ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Behrens. 20% of Behrens men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Behrens women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Behrens were Clerk and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Behrens | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    20%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Teacher
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Behrens family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 53,000 census records available for the last name Behrens. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Behrens census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Behrens

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Behrens. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Behrens immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Behrens. For the veterans among your Behrens ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Behrens military records

You've only scratched the surface of Behrens family history

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What is the average Behrens lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Behrens life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Behrens in 1940 was 64, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Behrens

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