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Runton Family History

Runton Surname Meaning

Chiefly from East and West Rounton (NR Yorks) which are recorded as Rontun Runtune in 1086 Rungtune in the 12th century and Rungetone Rongetone in the 13th century. The place-name derives from Old English hrung ‘pole’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’ perhaps denoting a settlement enclosed by poles or with a causeway made with poles.

Possibly occasionally from North and South Runcton (Norfolk) which are recorded as Runghetuna in 1086 and Rungetone in the 13th century or from Runton (also Norfolk) which is recorded as Runetune in 1086 and Runeton in 1185.

Runcton has the same etymology as Rounton (NR Yorks) discussed above while Runton derives from Old English tūn ‘farmstead estate’ with a personal name as first element either Old English *Rūna or Old Scandinavian Rúni.

Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, 2021


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Where is the Runton family from?

You can see how Runton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Runton family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Runton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 32 Runton families living in Yorkshire. This was about 91% of all the recorded Runton's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Runton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Runton 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 Runton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Runton. 72% of Runton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Runton | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    15%
  • Housewife
    15%

What Runton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Runton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Runton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Runton

Passenger Lists

There are 224 immigration records available for the last name Runton. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 86 military records available for the last name Runton. For the veterans among your Runton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Runton military records

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What is the average Runton lifespan?

Between 1978 and 2000, in the United States, Runton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Runton in 1978 was 78, and 84 in 2000.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Runton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Runton 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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