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Gaffigan Family History

Gaffigan Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Gavigan, Galligan, Garrigan, Gaffin, Radigan, Ratigan, Halligan

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 Gaffigan family from?

You can see how Gaffigan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gaffigan family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Gaffigan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 26 Gaffigan families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 32% of all the recorded Gaffigan's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Gaffigan families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gaffigan 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 Gaffigan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Mechanic and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gaffigan. 34% of Gaffigan men worked as a Mechanic and 60% of Gaffigan women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gaffigan were Inspector and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Gaffigan | 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

  • Mechanic
    34%
  • Laborer
    23%
  • Clerk
    23%
  • Inspector
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    60%
  • Clerk
    40%
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What Gaffigan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Gaffigan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gaffigan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Gaffigan

Passenger Lists

There are 236 immigration records available for the last name Gaffigan. 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 Gaffigan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 328 military records available for the last name Gaffigan. For the veterans among your Gaffigan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gaffigan military records

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What is the average Gaffigan lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Gaffigan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Gaffigan in 1951 was 69, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gaffigan

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