Gander Family History

Gander Surname Meaning

English (Sussex): from Middle English gander Old English gand(r)a ‘gander male goose’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a keeper of geese or a nickname for someone supposedly resembling a gander in some way.

South German and Swiss German: habitational name for someone from a place called with Middle High German gant ‘scree’ (Swiss German gand) or a topographic name for someone living by an area of scree.

This surname (in any of the possible senses; see also below) is also found in France (mainly Alsace).

North German: nickname for a vain or self-important man from ganter ‘male goose gander’.

North German: perhaps also a habitational name from Gandern in Brandenburg.

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

Similar surnames: Ganter, Mander, Lander, Wander, Sander, Zander, Glander, Ganser, Galler, Ganger

137,000 record(s) for Gander

36K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
3K	Military Records
2K	Immigration Records
30K	Census and Voter Lists
64K	Member Trees

Where is the Gander family from?

You can see how Gander families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gander family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gander families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 8 Gander families living in Ohio. This was about 89% of all the recorded Gander's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Gander families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gander surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gander ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gander. 22% of Gander men worked as a Farmer and 18% of Gander women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gander were Operator and Stenographer.

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

22%

Laborer

14%

Salesman

7%

Operator

5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Housekeeper

18%

Teacher

13%

Maid

10%

Stenographer

10%

What Gander family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 30K census records available for the last name Gander. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gander census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Passenger List

There are 2K immigration records available for the last name Gander. 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.

Military Records

There are 3K military records available for the last name Gander. For the veterans among your Gander ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

What is the average Gander lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Gander life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1965, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Gander in 1956 was 64, and 75 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gander ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.