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Acton Family History

Acton Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several places, especially in Shropshire and adjacent counties, named Acton. Generally, these are from Old English ac ‘oak’ + tun ‘settlement’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Auton, Aston, Aiton, Ecton, Alton, Axton, Tatton, Barton, Laxton

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 Acton family from?

You can see how Acton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Acton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Acton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 545 Acton families living in Lancashire. This was about 31% of all the recorded Acton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Acton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Acton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Acton 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 Acton. 15% of Acton men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Acton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Acton were Bricklayer and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Acton | 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
    15%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Bricklayer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Acton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 61,000 census records available for the last name Acton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Acton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Acton

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Acton. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Acton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Acton. For the veterans among your Acton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Acton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Acton family history

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What is the average Acton lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Acton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Acton in 1946 was 44, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Acton

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