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Paton Family History

Paton Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: variant of Patton. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Peatáin see Payton.

English: from either of two places called Patton in Shropshire and Westmorland. The Shropshire placename is recorded as Peattingtune in 901 and derives from an Old English personal name Peatta + Old English connective -ing- + tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

The Westmorland placename is recorded as Patun in 1086 and derives from Old English pæth ‘path track’ or an Old English personal name Patta + Old English tūn.

French: nickname derived from Old French paté ‘with paws pawed’ or paste ‘pastry meat dish surrounded by dough’ (see Pate).

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


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Where is the Paton family from?

You can see how Paton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Paton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Paton families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 351 Paton families living in Lancashire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Paton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Paton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Paton 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 Paton 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 Paton. 16% of Paton men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Paton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Paton were Retired and Housewife.

View Census Data for Paton | 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
    16%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Retired
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Paton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 120,000 census records available for the last name Paton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Paton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Paton

Passenger Lists

There are 29,000 immigration records available for the last name Paton. 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 Paton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Paton. For the veterans among your Paton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Paton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Paton family history

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What is the average Paton lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Paton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Paton in 1946 was 39, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Paton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Paton 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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