Vancouver / Names / I / Izen

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Izens

In the city directories 1940 · six people at five addresses

The directories print six people named Izen at five addresses in 1940 in three of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family.

Reserve this family's book, freeThe name in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, at every address, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. About $29 when orders open.

Where the Izens lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    3494 Laurel Street

    South Cambie, 1940

    • A Izen, a driver at Guarantee Cleaners & Dyers 1940
  2. 2

    916 West 14th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • S Izen, of Izen Bros Co 1940
    • Benjamin Izen, in secretary hand goods 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Izen at 926. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    926 West 14th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • W Izen, of Izen Bros Co 1940

    Next door in 1940: S Izen at 916 and A L Dunham at 936. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    976 West 19th Avenue

    South Cambie, 1940

    • S Izen, proprietor of Sam's Shirt Shop 1940

    Next door in 1940: W V McDonald at 974 and M Morris at 982. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    73 West Cordova Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • B Izen, in secretary hand goods 1940

    Next door in 1940: Hamilton Cafe at 69 and G Serezawa at 75. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for three of the six: a driver, a proprietor and a secretary hand goods.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview (2), South Cambie (2) and Downtown. Each neighbourhood's page shows its trades, its people and every street in it, the way the directory printed them.

The story, address by address

In 1940 the directory lists A Izen at 3494 Laurel Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Alick Izen there as the householder, a driver at Guarantee Cleaners & Dyers. In 1940 the directory lists S Izen at 916 West 14th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark). The 1940 name section lists Sol Izen there as the householder, of Izen Bros Co, with Benjamin Izen, in secretary hand goods.

In 1940 the directory lists W Izen at 926 West 14th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William Izen there as the householder, of Izen Bros Co. In 1940 the directory lists S Izen at 976 West 19th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Sam Izen there as the householder, proprietor of Sam's Shirt Shop.

In 1940 the directory lists B Izen, in secretary hand goods, at 73 West Cordova Street.

Today

976 West 19th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1930 by the City's record; 3494 Laurel (1986) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 916 West 14th, 926 West 14th and 73 West Cordova, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 10 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section

The book of the Izens

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Izen name in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: everyone printed under it at every address, their work from the name sections, who lived next door, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.

We're opening orders soon. Join the list to be first in line; we expect about $29 a family.

Another name, or a house

Sources

Henderson's and successor city directories for Vancouver, read by us line by line: the street sections for 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1940 and 1945, and the name section for 1930 and 1940 where we've read it (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories). Names are shown through 1945, as printed. Close spellings are grouped, as on the house pages, since a family's name was often spelled differently from one year to the next; one name can still be several families, and we join lines only where the first names or initials agree. Many Chinese, Japanese and other residents weren't named by the canvassers, so they can't be listed by name: their houses' pages say where. More family names under I. Want a name removed? Tell us.