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Penson Family History

Penson Surname Meaning

English:: patronymic from the Middle English female personal name Penn, a pet form of Pernel, or perhaps from the Middle English personal name Payne + -son.

See Penn Parnell. Habitational name from Penson in North Huish (Devon), which derives from the Anglo-Norman French personal name Payn(e) (see Payne) + Middle English toun ‘village, town, settlement’.

Old English tūn means ‘farmstead, estate’.

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


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Where is the Penson family from?

You can see how Penson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Penson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Penson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 122 Penson families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Penson's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Penson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Penson 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 Penson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Penson. 16% of Penson men worked as a Farm Labourer and 76% of Penson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Penson were Farmer (retired) and School Teacher.

View Census Data for Penson | 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

  • Farm Labourer
    16%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Farmer (retired)
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • School Teacher
    2%

What Penson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Penson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Penson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Penson

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Penson. 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 Penson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Penson. For the veterans among your Penson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Penson family history

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What is the average Penson lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Penson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Penson in 1951 was 55, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Penson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Penson 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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