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Vilson Family History

Vilson Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Wilson, Gilson, Bilson, Tilson, Nilson, Hilson, Filson, Vinson

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Vilson family from?

You can see how Vilson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Vilson family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Vilson families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1840 there was 1 Vilson family living in Maine. This was about 50% of all the recorded Vilson's in USA. Maine and 1 other state had the highest population of Vilson families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Vilson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Vilson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Vilson. 30% of Vilson men worked as a Laborer and 29% of Vilson women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Vilson were Engineer and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Vilson | 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

  • Laborer
    30%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Engineer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    29%
  • Housewife
    15%
  • Operator
    10%
  • Waitress
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Vilson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Vilson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Vilson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Vilson

Passenger Lists

There are 557 immigration records available for the last name Vilson. 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 Vilson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 128 military records available for the last name Vilson. For the veterans among your Vilson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Vilson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Vilson family history

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What is the average Vilson lifespan?

Between 1985 and 2004, in the United States, Vilson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Vilson in 1985 was 67, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Vilson

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Vilson family tree

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