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Clayton Family History

Clayton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of numerous places in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, and Sussex named Clayton.

From Old English clǣg ‘clay’ + tūn ‘enclosure, settlement’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Clayton family from?

You can see how Clayton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clayton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Clayton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 4,535 Clayton families living in Yorkshire. This was about 26% of all the recorded Clayton's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Clayton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clayton 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 Clayton 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 Clayton. 7% of Clayton men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Clayton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Clayton were Bricklayer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Clayton | 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
    7%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    2%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Clayton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 567,000 census records available for the last name Clayton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clayton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Clayton

Passenger Lists

There are 48,000 immigration records available for the last name Clayton. 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 Clayton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 69,000 military records available for the last name Clayton. For the veterans among your Clayton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Clayton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Clayton family history

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What is the average Clayton lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Clayton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Clayton in 1940 was 29, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clayton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Clayton 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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