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Zen Family History

Zen Name Meaning

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 任 based on its Mandarin pronunciation see Ren Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 全 based on its pronunciation in Shanghai dialect see Quan Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曾 see Zeng . Chinese: Romanization of the surname 陳 based on its pronunciation in Shanghai dialect see Chen Slovenian (Žen): unexplained. Italian (mainly Veneto): from a dialect variant of the personal name Zeno .

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


Similar surnames: Zeno, Wen, Ben, Ken, Ren, Zeng, Len, Zhen, Zeh, Oen

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Zen family from?

You can see how Zen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Zen family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Zen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 5 Zen families living in Illinois. This was about 36% of all the recorded Zen's in USA. Illinois had the highest population of Zen families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Zen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Zen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Seamstress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Zen. 40% of Zen men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Zen women worked as a Seamstress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Zen were Attendant and Weaver. .

View Census Data for Zen | 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

  • Farmer
    40%
  • Laborer
    40%
  • Attendant
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Seamstress
    43%
  • Housework
    29%
  • Weaver
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Zen family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Zen

Passenger Lists

There are 798 immigration records available for the last name Zen. 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 Zen immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Zen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Zen family history

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What is the average Zen lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Zen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Zen in 1964 was 28, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Zen

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