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Gelston Family History

Gelston Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from a place so named in Lincolnshire. The placename recorded in the Domesday book as Cheuelestune is probably from an Old Norse personal name Gjǫfull + Old English tūn ‘farmstead village’.

Irish (Antrim and Down): it is possible that this name has been adopted as an Anglicized form of Irish Mac Giolla tSeanáin see Gilsenan.

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


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Where is the Gelston family from?

You can see how Gelston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gelston family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gelston families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 11 Gelston families living in Lancashire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Gelston's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Gelston families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gelston 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 Gelston ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Gelston. 84% of Gelston women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Gelston | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    84%
  • Private Means
    17%

What Gelston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Gelston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gelston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gelston

Passenger Lists

There are 772 immigration records available for the last name Gelston. 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 Gelston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 560 military records available for the last name Gelston. For the veterans among your Gelston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gelston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gelston family history

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What is the average Gelston lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2003, in the United States, Gelston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Gelston in 1952 was 32, and 88 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gelston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gelston 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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