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Atterson Family History

Atterson Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Patterson, Catterson, Otterson, Watterson, Batterson, Atkerson

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Atterson family from?

You can see how Atterson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Atterson family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Atterson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1841 there was 1 Atterson family living in Banffshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Atterson's in Scotland. Banffshire had the highest population of Atterson families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Atterson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1851
  • 1871
  • 1881
  • 1891
  • 1901
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What did your Atterson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Atterson. 37% of Atterson men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Atterson women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Atterson were Proprietor and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Atterson | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Laborer
    30%
  • Farming
    10%
  • Proprietor
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    43%
  • Secretary
    29%
  • Stenographer
    29%

What Atterson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Atterson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Atterson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Atterson

Passenger Lists

There are 148 immigration records available for the last name Atterson. 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 Atterson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 313 military records available for the last name Atterson. For the veterans among your Atterson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Atterson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Atterson family history

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What is the average Atterson lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Atterson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Atterson in 1963 was 57, and 77 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Atterson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Atterson 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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