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Balsdon Family History

Balsdon Surname Meaning

English:: habitational name from Balstone in Buckland Monachorum or Bulstone in Branscombe (both in Devon) or Great Boulsdon in Newent (Gloucestershire). These placenames are of uncertain origin.

Possibly a habitational name from Bowsden in Lowick (Northumberland) which is recorded as Bollisdon in 1250. This placename is most probably from the personal name Boll in the genitive case with -es + denu ‘(long narrow) valley’.

Later replaced by dūn ‘hill’.

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


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Where is the Balsdon family from?

You can see how Balsdon families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Balsdon family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Balsdon families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 221 Balsdon families living in Devon. This was about 65% of all the recorded Balsdon's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Balsdon families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Balsdon surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Balsdon ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Balsdon. 12% of Balsdon men worked as a Builders Labourer and 67% of Balsdon women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Balsdon were Colliery Stoneman (below) Heavy Work and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Balsdon | 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

  • Builders Labourer
    12%
  • Gardener
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Colliery Stoneman (below) Heavy Work
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Household Duties
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    3%

What Balsdon family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Balsdon. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Balsdon census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Balsdon

Passenger Lists

There are 571 immigration records available for the last name Balsdon. 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 Balsdon immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 462 military records available for the last name Balsdon. For the veterans among your Balsdon ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Balsdon military records

You've only scratched the surface of Balsdon family history

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What is the average Balsdon lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Balsdon life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Balsdon in 1963 was 70, and 78 in 2003.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Balsdon 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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