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Callahan Family History

Callahan Name Meaning

Irish (Munster): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ceallacháin ‘descendant of Ceallachán’ a diminutive of the personal name Ceallach probably meaning ‘bright-headed’ from cen ‘head’ + lach ‘light’. This name was borne by a 10th-century king of Munster from whom many present-day bearers of the surname claim descent.

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


Similar surnames: Hallahan, Callanan, Callan, Colahan, Callaghan, Hanrahan, Canavan

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 Callahan family from?

You can see how Callahan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Callahan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Callahan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 30 Callahan families living in New York. This was about 17% of all the recorded Callahan's in USA. New York had the highest population of Callahan families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Callahan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Callahan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Callahan. 13% of Callahan men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Callahan women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Callahan were Clerk and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Callahan | 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

  • Laborer
    13%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    8%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Housewife
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Callahan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 219,000 census records available for the last name Callahan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Callahan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Callahan

Passenger Lists

There are 26,000 immigration records available for the last name Callahan. 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 Callahan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 56,000 military records available for the last name Callahan. For the veterans among your Callahan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Callahan military records

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What is the average Callahan lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Callahan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Callahan in 1940 was 32, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Callahan

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