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Poston Family History

Poston Surname Meaning

English:: topographic name for someone who lived by a postern gate from Middle English postern(e) ‘side door or gate, secret door or passage’; in some cases it would have been a metonymic occupational name for a gatekeeper.

In some may be a habitational name from a place such as Postern in Kent or Derbyshire.

It is also a habitational name from Poston in Herefordshire or Poston in Shropshire.

These places are named with an Old English personal name Possa + thorn ‘thorn tree’.

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


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Where is the Poston family from?

You can see how Poston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Poston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Poston families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 42 Poston families living in Shropshire. This was about 15% of all the recorded Poston's in United Kingdom. Shropshire had the highest population of Poston families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Poston 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 Poston ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Poston. 34% of Poston men worked as a Bricklayer and 82% of Poston women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Poston were Retired and Old Age Pensioner.

View Census Data for Poston | 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

  • Bricklayer
    34%
  • Garage Proprietor
    23%
  • Gardener
    23%
  • Retired
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Daily Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    2%

What Poston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Poston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Poston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Poston

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Poston. 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 Poston immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Poston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Poston family history

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What is the average Poston lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Poston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Poston in 1943 was 49, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Poston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Poston 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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