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Pinkerton Family History

Pinkerton Surname Meaning

Scottish and northern Irish: habitational name from a place near Dunbar which is from Scots pincern ‘butler’ + toun ‘farm holding settlement’.

This surname has been established in Ireland since the 18th century if not earlier.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Pinkerton family from?

You can see how Pinkerton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pinkerton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pinkerton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 104 Pinkerton families living in Lancashire. This was about 34% of all the recorded Pinkerton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Pinkerton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pinkerton 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 Pinkerton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Colliery Hewer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Pinkerton. 34% of Pinkerton men worked as a Colliery Hewer and 72% of Pinkerton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pinkerton were Joiner and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Pinkerton | 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

  • Colliery Hewer
    34%
  • Grocer
    23%
  • Incapacitated
    23%
  • Joiner
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Private Means
    8%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Pinkerton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 54,000 census records available for the last name Pinkerton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pinkerton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Pinkerton

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Pinkerton. 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 Pinkerton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Pinkerton. For the veterans among your Pinkerton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pinkerton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pinkerton family history

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What is the average Pinkerton lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Pinkerton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Pinkerton in 1945 was 49, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pinkerton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Pinkerton 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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