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Hastings Family History

Hastings Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: habitational name from Hastings (Sussex) near which the English army was defeated by the Normans in 1066. The placename derives from an Old English personal name Hǣsta + the Old English groupname suffix -ingas. In the latter part of the 12th century at the time of William the Lion the surname was taken to Scotland where it assimilated instances of the native Scottish surname Harestane.

English: variant of Hasting with Middle English genitival -s. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hOistín ‘descendant of Oistín’ the Gaelic form of the personal name Augustine (see Austin).

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


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Where is the Hastings family from?

You can see how Hastings families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hastings family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hastings families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 511 Hastings families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Hastings's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Hastings families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hastings 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 Hastings 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 Hastings. 9% of Hastings men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Hastings women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hastings were Gardener and Housewife.

View Census Data for Hastings | 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
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Gardener
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Hastings family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 214,000 census records available for the last name Hastings. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hastings census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hastings

Passenger Lists

There are 24,000 immigration records available for the last name Hastings. 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 Hastings immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 38,000 military records available for the last name Hastings. For the veterans among your Hastings ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hastings military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hastings family history

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What is the average Hastings lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Hastings life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Hastings in 1943 was 43, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hastings

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hastings 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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