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Winston Family History

Winston Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English personal name Wynstan (Old English Wynstān from wynn ‘joy’ + stān ‘stone’). English: habitational name principally from Winson and Winstone (Gloucestershire) or Winston (Suffolk) occasionally perhaps from Winston (Durham), Winston in Brixton (Devon), or Winstone Farm near Wroxall (Isle of Wight).

Winstone (Gloucestershire) derives from the Old English personal name Wynna + Old English stān ‘stone’. Winson (Gloucestershire) and the Suffolk, Durham, and Devon placenames derive from the Old English personal name Wine (genitive Wines) + Old English tūn ‘farmstead, estate’. The Isle of Wight placename derives from the Old English personal name Wynsige + Old English tūn.

Americanized form of Jewish Weinstein. Welsh (southern): adopted for Welsh Trewin ‘house or farm (tref) of Wyn’. According to Morgan and Morgan, it is thought that Tre-wyn in Crucornau Fawr in Gwent (Monmouthshire) is the source of this Welsh surname.

This name has been established in the county of Waterford, Ireland, since 157.

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


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Where is the Winston family from?

You can see how Winston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Winston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Winston families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 105 Winston families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded Winston's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Winston families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Winston 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 Winston ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, French Polisher and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Winston. 20% of Winston men worked as a French Polisher and 82% of Winston women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Winston were Lorry Driver and Private Means.

View Census Data for Winston | 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

  • French Polisher
    20%
  • Motor Driver
    14%
  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Lorry Driver
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Winston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 85,000 census records available for the last name Winston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Winston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Winston

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Winston. 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 23,000 military records available for the last name Winston. For the veterans among your Winston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Winston family history

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What is the average Winston lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Winston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Winston in 1940 was 8, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Winston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Winston 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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