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Foston Family History

Foston Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places such as Foston on the Wolds (East Yorkshire), Foston (Lincolnshire), Foston by Malton (North Yorkshire), Foston (Derbyshire), and Foston (Leicestershire).

It is derived from the Old Norse personal name Fótr + Old English tūn meaning ‘enclosure, farmstead, estate’.

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 Foston family from?

You can see how Foston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Foston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Foston families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 58 Foston families living in Lincolnshire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Foston's in United Kingdom. Lincolnshire had the highest population of Foston families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Foston 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 Foston 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 Foston. 34% of Foston men worked as a General Labourer and 78% of Foston women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Foston were General Labourer Heavy Worker and Housewife.

View Census Data for Foston | 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
    34%
  • Incapacitated
    23%
  • Iron Steel Merchant
    23%
  • General Labourer Heavy Worker
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Domestic Servant
    7%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    7%
  • Housewife
    5%

What Foston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Foston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Foston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Foston

Passenger Lists

There are 391 immigration records available for the last name Foston. 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 Foston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 378 military records available for the last name Foston. For the veterans among your Foston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Foston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Foston family history

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What is the average Foston lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Foston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1965, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Foston in 1956 was 46, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Foston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Foston 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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