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Balshaw Family History

Balshaw Surname Meaning

From one or more of three lost places called Balshaw in Spotland Ainsworth and Ditton (all Lancs). All three place-names seem to be from Old English balg ‘smooth rounded’ + sceaga ‘wood’.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Balshaw family from?

You can see how Balshaw families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Balshaw family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Balshaw families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 410 Balshaw families living in Lancashire. This was about 80% of all the recorded Balshaw's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Balshaw families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Balshaw surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Balshaw ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cotton Weaver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Balshaw. 18% of Balshaw men worked as a Cotton Weaver and 81% of Balshaw women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Balshaw were Police Constable and Cotton Weaver.

View Census Data for Balshaw | 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

  • Cotton Weaver
    18%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    15%
  • Plasterer
    15%
  • Police Constable
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Domestic Duties Unpaid
    2%
  • Cotton Weaver
    2%

What Balshaw family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Balshaw. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Balshaw census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Balshaw

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Balshaw. 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 Balshaw immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 485 military records available for the last name Balshaw. For the veterans among your Balshaw ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Balshaw military records

You've only scratched the surface of Balshaw family history

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What is the average Balshaw lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2003, in the United States, Balshaw life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Balshaw in 1946 was 54, and 87 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Balshaw

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Balshaw ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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