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Scotland Family History

Scotland Surname Meaning

English and Scottish (Kinross and Clackmannanshire): from the Middle English personal name Scotland Scolland. Found in Normandy as well as England, it evidently denoted a Scot or someone with an association with Scotland.

An ethnic name for someone from Scotland, derived from Middle English Scotlond ‘Scotland’. Compare England. The origin is traced back to Middle English scot ‘payment, tax’ (Old French escot) + lond ‘land’.

The surname may be topographic for someone who lived on or by land subject to a tax or customary payment, or it may be habitational from a place so named, such as Scotland Farm in Godshill (Isle of Wight).

It is also a habitational name from Scotlandwell in Portmoak (Kinross), whose name is of transparent origin but uncertain significance.

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


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Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Scotland family from?

You can see how Scotland families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Scotland family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Scotland families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 63 Scotland families living in London. This was about 38% of all the recorded Scotland's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Scotland families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Scotland 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 Scotland ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dock Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Scotland. 50% of Scotland men worked as a Dock Labourer and 85% of Scotland women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Scotland were Ships Painter and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Scotland | 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

  • Dock Labourer
    50%
  • Ships Painter
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Boarding House Keeper (retired)
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Scotland family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Scotland. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Scotland census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Scotland

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Scotland. 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 Scotland immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Scotland military records

You've only scratched the surface of Scotland family history

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What is the average Scotland lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Scotland life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Scotland in 1961 was 48, and 66 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Scotland

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Scotland 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Scotland family tree

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