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Acton Family History

Acton Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of several places, especially in Shropshire and adjacent counties, named Acton. Generally, these are from Old English ac ‘oak’ + tun ‘settlement’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Auton, Aston, Aiton, Ecton, Alton, Axton, Tatton, Barton, Laxton

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 Acton family from?

You can see how Acton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Acton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Acton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 23 Acton families living in Ohio. This was about 31% of all the recorded Acton's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Acton families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Acton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Acton ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Acton. 16% of Acton men worked as a Farmer and 11% of Acton women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Acton were Truck Driver and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Acton | 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
    16%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    11%
  • Housewife
    11%
  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Clerk
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Acton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 61,000 census records available for the last name Acton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Acton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Acton

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Acton. 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 Acton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Acton. For the veterans among your Acton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Acton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Acton family history

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What is the average Acton lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Acton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Acton in 1946 was 44, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Acton

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Acton family tree

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