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Potts Family History

Potts Surname Meaning

English: variant of Pott with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s in the former case denoting a Pot(t)'s son relative or servant.

Americanized form of German Botz.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Potts family from?

You can see how Potts families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Potts family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Potts families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,503 Potts families living in Durham. This was about 16% of all the recorded Potts's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Potts families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Potts 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 Potts 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 Potts. 11% of Potts men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Potts women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Potts were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Potts | 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
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Potts family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 308,000 census records available for the last name Potts. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Potts census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Potts

Passenger Lists

There are 28,000 immigration records available for the last name Potts. 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 Potts immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 54,000 military records available for the last name Potts. For the veterans among your Potts ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Potts military records

You've only scratched the surface of Potts family history

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What is the average Potts lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Potts life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Potts in 1944 was 34, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Potts

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Potts 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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