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Swanston Family History

Swanston Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from Swanston in Edinburgh (Midlothian) from the Old Norse personal name Sveinn (genitive Sveinns)

+ Old English tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Swanston family from?

You can see how Swanston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Swanston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Swanston families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 46 Swanston families living in Durham. This was about 16% of all the recorded Swanston's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Swanston families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Swanston 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 Swanston ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Fish Curer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Swanston. 34% of Swanston men worked as a Fish Curer and 80% of Swanston women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Swanston were General Labourer and Paid Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Swanston | 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

  • Fish Curer
    34%
  • Marine Engine Fitter
    23%
  • Carpenter
    23%
  • General Labourer
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Private Means
    7%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Paid Housekeeper
    2%

What Swanston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Swanston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Swanston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Swanston

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Swanston. 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 Swanston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Swanston. For the veterans among your Swanston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Swanston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Swanston family history

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What is the average Swanston lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Swanston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Swanston in 1951 was 53, and 44 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Swanston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Swanston 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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