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Wagstaff Family History

Wagstaff Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: nickname probably for a beadle literally one who wagged a staff or rod. It may also have been a ribald nickname.

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


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Where is the Wagstaff family from?

You can see how Wagstaff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wagstaff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wagstaff families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 581 Wagstaff families living in Yorkshire. This was about 15% of all the recorded Wagstaff's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Wagstaff families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wagstaff 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 Wagstaff ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Wagstaff. 7% of Wagstaff men worked as a Farmer and 72% of Wagstaff women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wagstaff were Incapacitated and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Wagstaff | 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

  • Farmer
    7%
  • General Labourer
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Wagstaff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 77,000 census records available for the last name Wagstaff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wagstaff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wagstaff

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Wagstaff. 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 Wagstaff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Wagstaff. For the veterans among your Wagstaff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wagstaff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wagstaff family history

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What is the average Wagstaff lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Wagstaff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Wagstaff in 1949 was 39, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wagstaff

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wagstaff 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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