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Shelton Family History

Shelton Surname Meaning

English (Nottinghamshire): habitational name primarily from Shelton (Nottinghamshire) but also from Shelton (Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Shropshire, and Staffordshire).

The placenames all derive from Old English scelf ‘rock, ledge, shelf’ + tūn ‘farmstead, estate’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Shelton family from?

You can see how Shelton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shelton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shelton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 664 Shelton families living in Nottinghamshire. This was about 14% of all the recorded Shelton's in United Kingdom. Nottinghamshire had the highest population of Shelton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shelton 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 Shelton 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 Shelton. 7% of Shelton men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Shelton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shelton were Incapacitated and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Shelton | 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
    7%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Colliery Hewer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Shelton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 329,000 census records available for the last name Shelton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shelton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shelton

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Shelton. 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 Shelton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 70,000 military records available for the last name Shelton. For the veterans among your Shelton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shelton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shelton family history

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What is the average Shelton lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Shelton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Shelton in 1941 was 28, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shelton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Shelton 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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