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Kane Family History

Kane Surname Meaning

Irish and Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Catháin or Mac Catháin ‘descendant (or son) of Cathán’ a personal name meaning ‘warrior’ (see O'Kane ). Compare Keane . English: variant of Cane . Jewish (Ashkenazic): altered form of Kahane . Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Kanne . Americanized form of German Köhn (see Kohn ). Compare Cane . American shortened and altered form of Finnish Nykänen an old eastern surname formed with the suffix -nen thought to be related to the extinct surname Nukainen and placenames beginning with Nuka(ri)- which are most likely based on the old lost word nois (genitive nokiin) ‘marten’ later ‘beaver’ and ‘pelt’.7: West African (mainly Senegal and Mali): from the name of the Kane clan of the Tukulor people of unexplained etymology.8: West African (Mali; Kané): Mandinka name of unexplained etymology. Compare Kanneh .

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


Similar surnames: Keane, Kan, Lane, Dane, Kann, Kaine, Cane, Kaner, Zane, Hane

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Kane family from?

You can see how Kane families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kane family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kane families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 88 Kane families living in New York. This was about 40% of all the recorded Kane's in USA. New York had the highest population of Kane families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kane 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 Kane ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kane. 12% of Kane men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Kane women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kane were Farmer and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Kane | 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

  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
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What Kane family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 348,000 census records available for the last name Kane. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kane census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kane

Passenger Lists

There are 63,000 immigration records available for the last name Kane. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 70,000 military records available for the last name Kane. For the veterans among your Kane ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Kane family history

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What is the average Kane lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Kane life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Kane in 1940 was 45, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kane

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