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Whetstone Family History

Whetstone Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Whetstone in Leicestershire or Whetstone in Middlesex or from Wheston in Derbyshire. The placenames derive from Old English hwet-stān ‘whetstone’ and are sited in areas that provided stone suitable for whetstones i.e. stones used to sharpen knives and blades.

Americanized form of German Wettstein.

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


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Where is the Whetstone family from?

You can see how Whetstone families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Whetstone family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Whetstone families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 64 Whetstone families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Whetstone's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Whetstone families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Whetstone 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 Whetstone ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Agricultural Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Whetstone. 20% of Whetstone men worked as an Agricultural Labourer and 89% of Whetstone women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Whetstone were Builders Lab and Cook.

View Census Data for Whetstone | 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

  • Agricultural Labourer
    20%
  • Builders Labourer
    20%
  • Lorry Driver
    20%
  • Builders Lab
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Retired
    3%
  • Cook
    3%

What Whetstone family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25,000 census records available for the last name Whetstone. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Whetstone census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Whetstone

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Whetstone. 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 Whetstone immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Whetstone. For the veterans among your Whetstone ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Whetstone military records

You've only scratched the surface of Whetstone family history

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What is the average Whetstone lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Whetstone life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Whetstone in 1949 was 37, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Whetstone

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Whetstone 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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