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Skelton Family History

Skelton Surname Meaning

English (Yorkshire): habitational name mainly from Skelton in Cumberland or any of various places called Skelton in Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, and East Yorkshire. The placenames probably all derive from Old English scelf ‘rock, ledge, shelf’ + tūn ‘farmstead, estate’ with initial Sk- instead of Sh- due to Scandinavian influence.

However, in some cases the first element may be a lost river name from Old Norse skjallr ‘resounding’; compare Skelding. This English surname has been established in Queen's County [Laois], Ireland since the 16th century.

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


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Where is the Skelton family from?

You can see how Skelton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Skelton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Skelton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,081 Skelton families living in Yorkshire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Skelton's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Skelton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Skelton 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 Skelton 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 Skelton. 13% of Skelton men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Skelton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Skelton were Incapacitated and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Skelton | 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
    13%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Skelton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 147,000 census records available for the last name Skelton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Skelton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Skelton

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Skelton. 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 Skelton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Skelton. For the veterans among your Skelton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Skelton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Skelton family history

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What is the average Skelton lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Skelton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Skelton in 1946 was 36, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Skelton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Skelton 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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