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Colquhoun Family History

Colquhoun Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from the barony of Colquhoun in Dumbartonshire. The name appears to derive from Gaelic còil cùil ‘nook corner’ or coill(e) ‘wood’ + cumhann ‘narrow’.

The usual Scottish pronunciation is ka-hoon. This is the name of a Scottish family descended from Umfridus de Kilpatrick who acquired lands in the barony of Colquhoun during the reign of Alexander II (1214–49).

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


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Where is the Colquhoun family from?

You can see how Colquhoun families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Colquhoun family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Colquhoun families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 67 Colquhoun families living in London. This was about 17% of all the recorded Colquhoun's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Colquhoun families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Colquhoun surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Colquhoun 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 Colquhoun. 56% of Colquhoun men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Colquhoun women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Colquhoun were Civil Servant and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Colquhoun | 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
    56%
  • Retired
    23%
  • Civil Servant
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    4%

What Colquhoun family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 34,000 census records available for the last name Colquhoun. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Colquhoun census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Colquhoun

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Colquhoun. 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 Colquhoun immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Colquhoun military records

You've only scratched the surface of Colquhoun family history

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What is the average Colquhoun lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Colquhoun life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1966. The average life expectancy for Colquhoun in 1949 was 60, and 67 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Colquhoun 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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