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Bolton Family History

Bolton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of numerous places in northern England named Bolton (Lancashire, Northumberland, Westmorland, and Yorkshire) or from Boulton in Derbyshire and East Lothian in Scotland.

It is derived from Old English bothl ‘dwelling house’ (see Bold) + tūn ‘enclosure settlement’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bolton family from?

You can see how Bolton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bolton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bolton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 3,902 Bolton families living in Lancashire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Bolton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Bolton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bolton 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 Bolton 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 Bolton. 10% of Bolton men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Bolton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bolton were Incapacitated and Private Means.

View Census Data for Bolton | 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
    10%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Cotton Weaver
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Bolton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 381,000 census records available for the last name Bolton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bolton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bolton

Passenger Lists

There are 56,000 immigration records available for the last name Bolton. 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 Bolton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 47,000 military records available for the last name Bolton. For the veterans among your Bolton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bolton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bolton family history

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What is the average Bolton lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Bolton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Bolton in 1941 was 41, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bolton

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

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