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Wilken Family History

Wilken Name Meaning

North German: patronymic from a Low German pet form of Wilhelm . Scottish (Aberdeenshire): variant of Wilkin .

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


Similar surnames: Wilke, Wilkens, Wilkey, Wilden, Wilkin, Wilkes, Wibben, Wiemken

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 Wilken family from?

You can see how Wilken families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wilken family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wilken families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Wilken family living in Illinois. This was about 25% of all the recorded Wilken's in USA. Illinois and 3 other states had the highest population of Wilken families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wilken 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 Wilken ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wilken. 35% of Wilken men worked as a Farmer and 13% of Wilken women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wilken were Salesman and Housework. .

View Census Data for Wilken | 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
    35%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    13%
  • Housekeeper
    13%
  • Teacher
    11%
  • Housework
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wilken family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Wilken. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wilken census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Wilken

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Wilken. 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 Wilken immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Wilken. For the veterans among your Wilken ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wilken military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wilken family history

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What is the average Wilken lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Wilken life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Wilken in 1954 was 33, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wilken

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