History of your Surname
Get access to Gahan family records.Start a free trial

Gahan Family History

Gahan Name Meaning

Irish:: shortened form of McGahan from Mac Eacháin or Mag Eocháin. from Ó Gaoithín ‘descendant of Gaoithín’ a personal name from a diminutive of gaoth an adjective meaning ‘wise’ (probably the sense here) or a noun meaning ‘wind’. This name has been mistranslated as both Wynne and Wyndham in Connacht (see Wynne ). It may also be a shortened Anglicized form of the Ulster name Mac Gaoithín see McGeehan .

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


Similar surnames: Mahan, Mcgahan, Hahn, Shan, Govan, Garin, Cavan, Gahn, Gean, Jahn

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Gahan family from?

You can see how Gahan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gahan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gahan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 7 Gahan families living in Maine. This was about 70% of all the recorded Gahan's in USA. Maine had the highest population of Gahan families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gahan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gahan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gahan. 18% of Gahan men worked as a Laborer and 16% of Gahan women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gahan were Salesman and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Gahan | 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
    18%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    16%
  • Stenographer
    15%
  • Housewife
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gahan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Gahan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gahan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Gahan

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Gahan. 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 Gahan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Gahan. For the veterans among your Gahan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gahan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gahan family history

Discover More

What is the average Gahan lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Gahan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Gahan in 1955 was 73, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gahan

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Gahan family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Gahan last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial