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Watling Family History

Watling Surname Meaning

English (East Anglia and London): from the Middle English personal name Whatling Watling (Old English Hwætling ‘son of Hwætel’ a diminutive of names in Hwæt- or a derivative of Old English hwæt ‘active bold brave’).

German: from Wado a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with wadi ‘pledge’ as the first element.

German: habitational name from Wathlingen in Lower Saxony.

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


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Where is the Watling family from?

You can see how Watling families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Watling family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Watling families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 369 Watling families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded Watling's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Watling families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Watling 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 Watling 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 Watling. 11% of Watling men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Watling women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Watling were Lorry Driver and Housewife.

View Census Data for Watling | 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
    11%
  • Farm Labourer
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Lorry Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Watling family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 38,000 census records available for the last name Watling. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Watling census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Watling

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Watling military records

You've only scratched the surface of Watling family history

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What is the average Watling lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Watling life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Watling in 1950 was 62, and 58 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Watling

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Watling 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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