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

Lonsdale Family History

Lonsdale Name Meaning

English: habitational name from the district of Lonsdale (straddling Lancashire Yorkshire and Westmorland) and also from Lonsdale in Great Ayton (North Yorkshire). The district takes its name from the river Lune (of uncertain origin) + Old English dæl ‘valley’. The North Yorkshire placename probably derives from the late Old English personal name Lothen (genitive Lothenes) from Old Norse Lothinn + Old English dæl ‘valley’.

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


Similar surnames: Dinsdale, Langdale, Teesdale, Drysdale, Ragsdale, Coverdale, Dugdale

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 Lonsdale family from?

You can see how Lonsdale families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lonsdale family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lonsdale families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there was 1 Lonsdale family living in Indiana. This was about 20% of all the recorded Lonsdale's in USA. Indiana and 4 other states had the highest population of Lonsdale families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lonsdale surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Lonsdale ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Lonsdale. 23% of Lonsdale men worked as a Farmer and 30% of Lonsdale women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lonsdale were Machinist and Packer. .

View Census Data for Lonsdale | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    23%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Machinist
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    30%
  • Housewife
    17%
  • Stenographer
    13%
  • Packer
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Lonsdale family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 52,000 census records available for the last name Lonsdale. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lonsdale census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Lonsdale

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Lonsdale. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Lonsdale immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Lonsdale military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lonsdale family history

Discover More

What is the average Lonsdale lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Lonsdale life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Lonsdale in 1956 was 68, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lonsdale

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lonsdale family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Lonsdale last name

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