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Forton Family History

Forton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the places in Hampshire, Lancashire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire named Forton, from Old English ford ‘ford’ + tūn ‘settlement, enclosure’.

English and Scottish: variant of Fortune.

French: from a pet form of the personal name Fort 2 or a diminutive of the nickname Fort 1 ‘strong, brave’.

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


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Where is the Forton family from?

You can see how Forton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Forton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Forton families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 29 Forton families living in Yorkshire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Forton's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Forton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Forton 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 Forton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Dock Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Forton. 50% of Forton men worked as a Dock Labourer and 100% of Forton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Forton | 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

  • Dock Labourer
    50%
  • Dairy Farmer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Forton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Forton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Forton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Forton

Passenger Lists

There are 687 immigration records available for the last name Forton. 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 Forton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 842 military records available for the last name Forton. For the veterans among your Forton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Forton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Forton family history

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What is the average Forton lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Forton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Forton in 1963 was 73, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Forton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Forton 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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