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Watford Family History

Watford Name Meaning

English: habitational name from Watford in Hertfordshire or from the much smaller place so called in Northamptonshire. Both placenames may derive from Old English wāth ‘hunting’ or (ge)wæd ‘place for wading’ + ford ‘ford’.

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


Similar surnames: Walford, Warford, Whitford, Hayford, Welford, Galford, Wadford

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Watford family from?

You can see how Watford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Watford family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Watford families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 112 Watford families living in London. This was about 28% of all the recorded Watford's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Watford families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Watford 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 Watford ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Watford. 37% of Watford men worked as a Bricklayer and 80% of Watford women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Watford were Builders Labourer and Retired. .

View Census Data for Watford | 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

  • Bricklayer
    37%
  • General Labourer
    28%
  • Railway Clerk
    19%
  • Builders Labourer
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Household Duties
    3%
  • Retired
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Watford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Watford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Watford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Watford

Passenger Lists

There are 628 immigration records available for the last name Watford. 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 Watford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Watford. For the veterans among your Watford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Watford military records

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What is the average Watford lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Watford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1963. The average life expectancy for Watford in 1950 was 30, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Watford

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