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Empson Family History

Empson Surname Meaning

English:: metronymic meaning ‘son of Emma’ from the Middle English female personal name Em(e) Emme (see Imm) + -son.

shortened form of Emerson. The two names were no doubt confused and it is possible that the reverse process sometimes occurred whereby Em(m)erson was an altered form of Emmeson i.e. Em(p)son.

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


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Where is the Empson family from?

You can see how Empson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Empson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Empson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 137 Empson families living in Yorkshire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Empson's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Empson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Empson 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 Empson 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 Empson. 24% of Empson men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Empson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Empson were Builders Labourer and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Empson | 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
    24%
  • Gardener
    16%
  • Incapacitated
    12%
  • Builders Labourer
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Empson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Empson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Empson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Empson

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Empson. 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 Empson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Empson. For the veterans among your Empson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Empson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Empson family history

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What is the average Empson lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Empson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1965. The average life expectancy for Empson in 1951 was 44, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Empson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Empson 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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