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Clifton Family History

Clifton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the very numerous places called Clifton from Old English clif ‘slope’ (see Cliff) + tūn ‘enclosure settlement’.

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


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Where is the Clifton family from?

You can see how Clifton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Clifton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Clifton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 830 Clifton families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Clifton's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Clifton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Clifton 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 Clifton 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 Clifton. 6% of Clifton men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Clifton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Clifton were Farmer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Clifton | 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
    6%
  • Bricklayer
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Farmer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Clifton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 205,000 census records available for the last name Clifton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Clifton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Clifton

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Clifton. 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 Clifton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 32,000 military records available for the last name Clifton. For the veterans among your Clifton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Clifton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Clifton family history

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What is the average Clifton lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Clifton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Clifton in 1941 was 39, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Clifton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Clifton 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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