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Wellington Family History

Wellington Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the three places called Wellington in Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Somerset or from Wellington Heath (Herefordshire).

All are most probably named with an unattested Old English personal name Wēola + -ing- (implying association with) + tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

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 Wellington family from?

You can see how Wellington families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wellington family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wellington families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 279 Wellington families living in London. This was about 17% of all the recorded Wellington's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Wellington families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wellington 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 Wellington 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 Wellington. 18% of Wellington men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Wellington women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wellington were Lorry Driver and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Wellington | 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
    18%
  • Farmer
    6%
  • Coalminer
    5%
  • Lorry Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Wellington family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Wellington

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Wellington. 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 Wellington immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Wellington. For the veterans among your Wellington ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wellington military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wellington family history

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What is the average Wellington lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Wellington life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Wellington in 1950 was 41, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wellington

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wellington 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wellington family tree

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