History of your Surname
Get access to Shotton family records.Start a free trial

Shotton Family History

Shotton Name Meaning

English: habitational name from Shotton in Easington Shotton in Sedgefield Shotton in Staindrop (all Durham) Shotton in Stannington (Northumberland) or Shotton near Mindrum (Northumberland) and also from Shotton in Hadnall (Shropshire). The Durham and Northumberland placenames probably derive from Old English scēot ‘steep slope’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’ with the exception of Shotton near Mindrum (Northumberland) which is named with Old English Scot ‘Scot’ (genitive plural Scotta) as the initial element. While it is possible that Old English Scot lies behind the other Durham and Northumberland placenames scēot is considered to be more likely based on local topography. The Shropshire placename probably also derives from Old English scēot + tūn.

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


Similar surnames: Scotton, Holton, Whitton, Horton, Hatton, Shott, Hopton, Shenton

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Shotton family from?

You can see how Shotton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shotton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Shotton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 404 Shotton families living in Durham. This was about 32% of all the recorded Shotton's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Shotton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shotton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Shotton 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 Shotton. 27% of Shotton men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Shotton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shotton were Farmer and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Shotton | 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
    27%
  • Bricklayer
    8%
  • Sheet Metal Worker
    6%
  • Farmer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shotton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Shotton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shotton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Shotton

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Shotton. For the veterans among your Shotton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shotton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shotton family history

Discover More

What is the average Shotton lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Shotton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1976. The average life expectancy for Shotton in 1962 was 78, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shotton

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Shotton family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Shotton last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial