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Griffan Family History

Griffan 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: Griffin, Griffon, Griffen, Griffo, Griff, Griffel, Graffam, Giffin

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 Griffan family from?

You can see how Griffan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Griffan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Griffan families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1840 there were 2 Griffan families living in Michigan. This was about 67% of all the recorded Griffan's in USA. Michigan had the highest population of Griffan families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Griffan 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 Griffan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Griffan. 42% of Griffan men worked as a Laborer and 30% of Griffan women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Griffan were Farming and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Griffan | 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
    42%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Bookkeeper
    7%
  • Farming
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    30%
  • Maid
    30%
  • Teacher
    20%
  • Clerk
    20%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Griffan family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Griffan

Passenger Lists

There are 186 immigration records available for the last name Griffan. 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 Griffan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 86 military records available for the last name Griffan. For the veterans among your Griffan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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