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Waterson Family History

Waterson Surname Meaning

Scottish and English: variant of Watterson.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Waterson family from?

You can see how Waterson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Waterson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Waterson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 252 Waterson families living in Lancashire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Waterson's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Waterson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Waterson 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 Waterson 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 Waterson. 20% of Waterson men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Waterson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Waterson were Railway Clerk and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Waterson | 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%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%
  • Farm Labourer
    9%
  • Railway Clerk
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Waterson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 34,000 census records available for the last name Waterson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Waterson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Waterson

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Waterson. 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 Waterson immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Waterson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Waterson family history

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What is the average Waterson lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Waterson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Waterson in 1953 was 21, and 68 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Waterson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Waterson 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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