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Windsor Family History

Windsor Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Windsor (Berkshire), Windsor in Stratford upon Avon (Warwickshire), Winsor in Copythorne (Hampshire), Winsor in Yealmpton (Devon), or Broadwindsor and Little Windsor (Dorset). All these places have the same linguistic origin, whose meaning is controversial but seems to be ‘windlass bank’ (Old English windels + ōra).

In Yorkshire, perhaps a habitational name from Winds Over in Middleton (near Ilkley, Yorkshire). The placename probably derives from Old English wind ‘wind’ (genitive windes) + ofer ‘slope, hill, ridge’.

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


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Where is the Windsor family from?

You can see how Windsor families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Windsor family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Windsor families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 443 Windsor families living in London. This was about 17% of all the recorded Windsor's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Windsor families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Windsor 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 Windsor 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 Windsor. 8% of Windsor men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Windsor women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Windsor were Gardener and Private Means.

View Census Data for Windsor | 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
    8%
  • Retired
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Gardener
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Windsor family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 95,000 census records available for the last name Windsor. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Windsor census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Windsor

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Windsor. 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 Windsor immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Windsor. For the veterans among your Windsor ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Windsor military records

You've only scratched the surface of Windsor family history

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What is the average Windsor lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Windsor life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Windsor in 1945 was 58, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Windsor

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Windsor 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 Windsor family tree

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