Washington Family History

Washington Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Washington in Durham possibly also from Washington in Sussex. The Durham placename derives from an Old English personal name Hwassa Hwæssa + the Old English connective -ing- + tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

In North America this surname is by far most common among African Americans (see 2 below). African American: from the personal name Washington (or George Washington) adopted in honor of George Washington the 1st president of the US; or adoption of the surname in 1 above in most cases probably for the same reason.

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

657K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
237K	Military Records
17K	Immigration Records
473K	Census and Voter Lists
1M	Member Trees

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Where is the Washington family from?

You can see how Washington families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Washington family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Washington families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 247 Washington families living in Staffordshire. This was about 15% of all the recorded Washington's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Washington families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Washington surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Washington

What did your Washington 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 Washington. 14% of Washington men worked as a General labourer and 76% of Washington women worked as an Unpaid domestic duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Washington were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Washington

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.

General labourer

14%

Gardener

Cowman

Bricklayer

Unpaid domestic duties

76%

Unpaid domestic

Private means

Incapacitated

What Washington family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 473K census records available for the last name Washington. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Washington census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Washington

Passenger List

There are 17K immigration records available for the last name Washington. 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 Washington immigration records

Military Records

There are 237K military records available for the last name Washington. For the veterans among your Washington ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Washington military records

You've only scratched the surface of Washington family history

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What is the average Washington lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Washington life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Washington in 1940 was 32, and 69 in 2004.

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Washington Surname Meaning

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

Where is the Washington family from?

What did your Washington ancestors do for a living?

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.

General labourer

14%

Gardener

Cowman

Bricklayer

Unpaid domestic duties

76%

Unpaid domestic

Private means

Incapacitated

What Washington family records will you find?

What is the average Washington lifespan?

Washington Family History

Washington Surname Meaning

2 million record(s) for Washington

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

Where is the Washington family from?

What did your Washington ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Washington family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Washington family history

What is the average Washington lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Washington family tree

Search for another surname

Washington Surname Meaning

2 million record(s) for Washington

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

Where is the Washington family from?

What did your Washington ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Washington family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Washington family history

What is the average Washington lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Washington family tree

Search for another surname