The Vann surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,416 people carried this name — #2,366 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 19,100 people counted. That is up 6% from 14,602 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Vann surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the van’.

An early record he cites: Robert atte Vanne, Westmorland, 1291–92 (20 Edward I) — Placita de Quo Warranto.

His entry covers Vann and Van.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 779 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 32 people named Vann.

Most of them — 30 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 2 départements, most often Ardèche.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 30
Ardèche 1
Hauts-de-Seine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Vann was counted together with Van: 29 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 176 people lived in those households, 6.1 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Van, Vann, Vans. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 17
Pennsylvania 4
South Carolina 3
Vermont 2
Massachusetts 1
New York 1
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 266 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Vann in American newspapers,
1910–1930.

Newspaper page from The New Haven Union carrying the name Vann
The New Haven Union 1910-07-29
Newspaper page from The Wolf Point Herald carrying the name Vann
The Wolf Point Herald 1930-08-29
Newspaper page from The New Haven Union carrying the name Vann
The New Haven Union 1910-08-30

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 63,989 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Vann in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

1,666 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Vann. The most, 329, date from the 1950s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 640
New South Wales 307
Western Australia 285
Victoria 217
South Australia 106
Tasmania 81
ACT (Canberra) 26

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Vann.

Who carried it

People named Vann,
with a public archive behind them.

  • David Vann
    David Vann 1800–1863
  • Irving G. Vann
    Irving G. Vann 1842–1921 · judge
  • Robert L. Vann
    Robert L. Vann 1879–1940 · lawyer
  • Vann "Piano Man" Walls
    Vann "Piano Man" Walls 1918–1999 · composer
  • Albert Vann
    Albert Vann 1934–2022 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Vann "Piano Man" Walls: Franceen Palevsky-Breault, CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 49 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Vann,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States853 records

853 records of the Vann name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 459
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 243
  • Other U.S. records 151
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Lacy N. Vann

    Born 1917 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Bragg; yardman from New Hanover County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1971, buried at Wilmington National Cemetery, North Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gary Steven Vann

    Born 1946; from Albuquerque, New Mexico. U.S. Navy, boatswain's mate; died in an accident 1969 in Kien Tuong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George Vann

    Arrived at New York in 1871 aboard the Java from Liverpool, aged 50; mechanic. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 853 records for Vann in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia66 records

66 records of the Vann name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 31
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 26
  • Other Australian records 9
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm Vann

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the David G Fleming, aged 25; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Albert Walter Vann

    Retired writer of South Yarra, Victoria; died 1987.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Biographical index David Douglas Vann

    Born 1960, died 1999; obituary published in Western Australia.

    State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 66 records for Vann in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Netherlands29 records

29 records of the Vann name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 28
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Dirckske Cornelissen van N

    Married in 1703 in Sleeuwijk; born in Brakel.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Matsies van N

    Baptised in 1608 in Grave.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kind van N

    Buried in 1688 in Hilvarenbeek.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 29 records for Vann in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Canada8 records

8 records of the Vann name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 4
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 1
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Reginald Vann

    Died 1967, aged 81; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Aurita Isabel Vann

    Died 1894 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record P. W. Vann

    Western Ontario Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 8 records for Vann in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Vann name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • Stirling Council burial records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Williamina Vann

    Buried in 1964 at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 47.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record O. H. Vann

    Royal Army Medical Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Vann

    Leicestershire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Vann in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France6 records

6 records of the Vann name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Chandareth Vann

    Born 1975 in Cambodia; died 2001 in Pomoy (Haute-Saône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Phone Vann

    Born 1925 in Cambodia; died 1999 in Lingolsheim (Bas-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Mach Vann

    Born 1932 in Cambodia; died 1994 in Lyon (Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Vann in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Vann.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Vann is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Vann volume
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