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Behan Family History

Behan Name Meaning

Irish (southern): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Beachain ‘descendant of Beachán’ a personal name from a diminutive of beach ‘bee’. Irish (southern): perhaps from Ó Beathain ‘descendant of Beathán’ a personal name based on a diminutive of beatha ‘life’. Compare Bean 5 and McBeth . Slovak (also Beháň): nickname derived from the noun beh ‘run’ or derived from behať ‘to run’.

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


Similar surnames: Bean, Bohan, Belan, Behn, Boran, Benn, Teahan, Deehan, Ban, Bern

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 Behan family from?

You can see how Behan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Behan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Behan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 48 Behan families living in Lancashire. This was about 42% of all the recorded Behan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Behan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Behan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Behan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Behan. 40% of Behan men worked as a General Labourer and 82% of Behan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Behan were Porter Furniture and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Behan | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    40%
  • Groom
    20%
  • Painter decorator
    20%
  • Porter Furniture
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Cook
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Behan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25,000 census records available for the last name Behan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Behan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Behan

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Behan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Behan immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Behan military records

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What is the average Behan lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Behan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Behan in 1946 was 50, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Behan

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