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Canning Family History

Canning Name Meaning

Irish (Derry and Donegal): from Mac Coinín ‘son of Coinín’ a personal name likely derived from a diminutive of cano ‘hound wolf’ (though sometimes misinterpreted as ‘rabbit’). Irish: alternatively a shortened form of Ó Canann or Ó Canáin see Cannon . English: habitational name from a place in Wiltshire called Cannings apparently named with the Old English byname Cana (of uncertain origin) + -ingas ‘people of’.

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


Similar surnames: Hanning, Manning, Lansing, Panning, Dunning, Cancino, Cannon, Sinning

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 Canning family from?

You can see how Canning families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Canning family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Canning families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 6 Canning families living in New York. This was about 27% of all the recorded Canning's in USA. New York had the highest population of Canning families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Canning surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Canning ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Canning. 10% of Canning men worked as a Salesman and 10% of Canning women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Canning were Truck Driver and Bookkeeper. .

View Census Data for Canning | 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

  • Salesman
    10%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    10%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Bookkeeper
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Canning family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 76,000 census records available for the last name Canning. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Canning census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Canning

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Canning. 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 Canning immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Canning. For the veterans among your Canning ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Canning military records

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What is the average Canning lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Canning life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Canning in 1947 was 44, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Canning

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