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Leighton Family History

Leighton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called Leighton or Layton. Most as for example those in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, and Shropshire are named with Old English lēac ‘leek’ + tūn ‘settlement’, but Layton in Durham derives from Old English ge-lād ‘road’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

The English pronunciation of Leighton is usually /lɛ:tən/ or /leitən/ (also spelled Layton and Leaton), but it can also be heard as /laitən/ or as /li:tən/ (also spelled Leaton) and occasionally as /lɛtən/ (spelled Letton).

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


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Where is the Leighton family from?

You can see how Leighton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leighton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leighton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 365 Leighton families living in Durham. This was about 12% of all the recorded Leighton's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Leighton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leighton 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 Leighton 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 Leighton. 12% of Leighton men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Leighton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Leighton were Retired and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Leighton | 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
    12%
  • Colliery Hewer
    4%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Retired
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Leighton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 112,000 census records available for the last name Leighton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Leighton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Leighton

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Leighton. 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 Leighton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Leighton. For the veterans among your Leighton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Leighton lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Leighton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Leighton in 1947 was 44, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leighton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leighton 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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