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Dean Family History

Dean Name Meaning

English: topographic name from Middle English dene ‘valley’ (Old English denu), or a habitational name from any of several places in various parts of England named Dean, Deane, or Deen from this word. In Scotland this is a habitational name from Den in Aberdeenshire or Dean in Ayrshire. English: occupational name for the servant of a dean or nickname for someone thought to resemble a dean. A dean was an ecclesiastical official who was the head of a chapter of canons in a cathedral. The Middle English word deen is a borrowing of Old French d(e)ien, from Latin decanus (originally a leader of ten men, from decem ‘ten’), and thus is a cognate of Deacon. Irish: variant of Deane. Italian: occupational name cognate with 2, from Venetian dean ‘dean’, a dialect form of degan, from degano (Italian decano).

Similar surnames: Bean, Dear, Hearn, Degan, Dehn, Deal, Deane, Lean, Means, Deen

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Where is the Dean family from?

You can see how Dean families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dean family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dean families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 374 Dean families living in New York. This was about 20% of all the recorded Dean's in USA. New York had the highest population of Dean families in 1840.

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

View Census Data for Dean

What did your Dean ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Dean | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Laborer
16%
Farmer
15%
Salesman
5%
Truck Driver
3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Maid
7%
Teacher
6%
Housewife
6%
Housekeeper
6%

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What Dean family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 939,000 census records available for the last name Dean. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dean census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Dean
Passenger Lists
There are 72,000 immigration records available for the last name Dean. 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 Dean immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 148,000 military records available for the last name Dean. For the veterans among your Dean ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Dean military records

Census Records

There are 939,000 census records available for the last name Dean. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dean census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Dean

Passenger Lists

There are 72,000 immigration records available for the last name Dean. 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 Dean immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 148,000 military records available for the last name Dean. For the veterans among your Dean ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dean military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dean family history

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What is the average Dean lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Dean life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Dean in 1940 was 50, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dean