Scottish English and Irish: patronymic meaning ‘son of Wat’ a pet form of Walter that was particularly common in Scotland and northern England. See Watt .
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.
Where is the Watson family from?
You can see how Watson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Watson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Watson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 10,629 Watson families living in Yorkshire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Watson's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Watson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Watson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Watson. 6% of Watson men worked as a General Labourer and 64% of Watson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Watson were Incapacitated and Private Means. .
Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Watson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Watson in 1940 was 35, and 73 in 2004.