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Canton Family History

Canton Name Meaning

Galician (Cantón): habitational name from places in Lugo and Pontevedra provinces, in Galicia, named Cantón, from a derivative of canto ‘corner’ (see Canto). Southern French: topographic name, from Occitan canton ‘corner’, ‘angle’, denoting someone who lived on a street corner.

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


Similar surnames: Canto, Caton, Danton, Cantin, Cayton, Cantone, Calton, Clanton

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Canton family from?

You can see how Canton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Canton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Canton families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Canton families living in Ohio. This was about 50% of all the recorded Canton's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Canton families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Canton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Canton ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Canton. 14% of Canton men worked as a Laborer and 14% of Canton women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Canton were Clerk and Cook. .

View Census Data for Canton | 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
    14%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    14%
  • Maid
    13%
  • Saleslady
    7%
  • Cook
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Canton family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Canton

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Canton. 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 Canton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Canton. For the veterans among your Canton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Canton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Canton family history

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What is the average Canton lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Canton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Canton in 1947 was 49, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Canton

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