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Elton Family History

Elton Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several places called Elton (Berkshire Cheshire Derbyshire Durham Herefordshire Huntingdonshire Lancashire and Nottinghamshire). The Eltons in Chesire Derbyshire and Durham are from Old English ǣl ‘eel’ + tūn ‘farmstead settlement’. Elton in Berkshire is from the Old English female personal name Æthelflǣd (composed of the elements æthel ‘noble’ + flǣd ‘beauty’). Both Elton in Herefordshire and in Nottinghamshire are from the Old English personal name Ella + tūn. The Berkshire origin for the surname is especially well represented. Norwegian: habitational name from a farm name in eastern Norway in Old Norse Elgjartún ‘enclosed sacred place’ (or fenced in for elg ‘moose’?).

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


Similar surnames: Elson, Elston, Alton, Felton, Exton, Eldon, Belton, Ecton, Pelton

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Where is the Elton family from?

You can see how Elton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Elton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Elton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 157 Elton families living in Lancashire. This was about 12% of all the recorded Elton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Elton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Elton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Elton 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 Elton. 16% of Elton men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Elton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Elton were Master Butcher and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Elton | 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
    16%
  • Farm Labourer
    7%
  • Boot Repairer
    4%
  • Master Butcher
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Housewife
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Elton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 45,000 census records available for the last name Elton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Elton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Elton

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Elton. 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 Elton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Elton. For the veterans among your Elton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Elton military records

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What is the average Elton lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Elton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Elton in 1957 was 64, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Elton

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