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Gorton Family History

Gorton Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): habitational name from a place in Lancashire so named from Old English gor ‘dirt mud’.

It combines the elements of the Old English words, where gor refers to 'dirt' or 'mud'.

The second element, tūn, translates to ‘enclosure’ or ‘settlement’.

This indicates that the name likely originated from a location characterized by muddy terrain.

Overall, it reflects the geographical features of the area in its naming convention.

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


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Where is the Gorton family from?

You can see how Gorton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gorton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gorton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,105 Gorton families living in Lancashire. This was about 57% of all the recorded Gorton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Gorton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gorton 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 Gorton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Cotton Weaver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gorton. 10% of Gorton men worked as a Cotton Weaver and 66% of Gorton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gorton were Window Cleaner and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Gorton | 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

  • Cotton Weaver
    10%
  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Window Cleaner
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Cotton Weaver
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Gorton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 60,000 census records available for the last name Gorton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gorton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gorton

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Gorton. 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 Gorton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Gorton. For the veterans among your Gorton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gorton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gorton family history

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What is the average Gorton lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Gorton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Gorton in 1951 was 54, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gorton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gorton 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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