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Heaton Family History

Heaton Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): habitational name from any of various places called with Old English hēah ‘high’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’: Heaton (Yorkshire Northumberland); Heaton Norris, Heaton under Horwich, Heaton with Oxcliffe, Great Heaton, Little Heaton (all Lancashire); Capheaton, Kirkheaton (Northumberland); Cleckheaton, Hanging Heaton, Kirkheaton (Yorkshire).

This surname was taken to Ireland in the mid 17th century and within Ireland is now mainly found in Ulster.

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


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Where is the Heaton family from?

You can see how Heaton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Heaton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Heaton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 3,783 Heaton families living in Lancashire. This was about 52% of all the recorded Heaton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Heaton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Heaton 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 Heaton 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 Heaton. 9% of Heaton men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Heaton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Heaton were Cotton Weaver and Private Means.

View Census Data for Heaton | 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
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Heaton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 181,000 census records available for the last name Heaton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Heaton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Heaton

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Heaton. 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 Heaton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Heaton. For the veterans among your Heaton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Heaton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Heaton family history

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What is the average Heaton lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Heaton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Heaton in 1940 was 62, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Heaton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Heaton 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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