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Desoto Family History

Desoto 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: De Soto, Devoto, Tesoro, Soto, Demato, Sesto, Desio, Resto, Escoto

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Desoto family from?

You can see how Desoto families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Desoto family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Desoto families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 5 Desoto families living in Quebec. This was about 83% of all the recorded Desoto's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of Desoto families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Desoto 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 Desoto ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Desoto. 43% of Desoto men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Desoto women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Desoto were Farm Laborer and Waitress.

View Census Data for Desoto | 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
    43%
  • Laborer
    24%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Farm Laborer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    43%
  • Laborer
    29%
  • Waitress
    29%

What Desoto family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Desoto. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Desoto census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Desoto

Passenger Lists

There are 345 immigration records available for the last name Desoto. 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 Desoto immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 893 military records available for the last name Desoto. For the veterans among your Desoto ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Desoto military records

You've only scratched the surface of Desoto family history

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What is the average Desoto lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Desoto life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1978. The average life expectancy for Desoto in 1946 was 27, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Desoto

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Desoto 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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