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Roughton Family History

Roughton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name most often from Roughton (Lincolnshire) but perhaps sometimes also from Roughton (Norfolk) both named with Old English rūh ‘rough’ or Old Norse rúgr ‘rye’ + Old English tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

Rowton Farm in Skirlaugh (East Yorkshire) is a possible source in northeastern England but no early evidence for a surname derived from it has been found.

Compare Rowton.

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 Roughton family from?

You can see how Roughton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Roughton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Roughton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 124 Roughton families living in Northamptonshire. This was about 21% of all the recorded Roughton's in United Kingdom. Northamptonshire had the highest population of Roughton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Roughton 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 Roughton 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 Roughton. 20% of Roughton men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Roughton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Roughton were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Roughton | 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
    20%
  • Farm Labourer
    13%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Bricklayer
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Roughton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Roughton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Roughton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Roughton

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Roughton. For the veterans among your Roughton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Roughton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Roughton family history

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What is the average Roughton lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Roughton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Roughton in 1951 was 44, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Roughton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Roughton 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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