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Merton Family History

Merton Name Meaning

English: habitational name from one or more of the many places called Merton such as found in Surrey Kent Devon Oxfordshire and Norfolk. The placename derives from Old English mere ‘pool’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’. There has probably been some confusion with both Marton and Murton .

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


Similar surnames: Marton, Morton, Murton, Melton, Denton, Kenton, Overton, Milton

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Merton family from?

You can see how Merton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Merton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Merton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 2 Merton families living in New York. This was about 29% of all the recorded Merton's in USA. New York had the highest population of Merton families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Merton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Merton ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and New Worker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Merton. 25% of Merton men worked as a Farmer and 13% of Merton women worked as a New Worker. Some less common occupations for Americans named Merton were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Merton | 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
    25%
  • Laborer
    23%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Truck Driver
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • New Worker
    13%
  • Housewife
    13%
  • Housework
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Merton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 20,000 census records available for the last name Merton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Merton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Merton

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Merton. 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 Merton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Merton. For the veterans among your Merton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Merton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Merton family history

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What is the average Merton lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Merton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Merton in 1962 was 49, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Merton

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