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Colton Family History

Colton Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire): habitational name from any of various places called Colton in England. Examples in Norfolk Staffordshire and North Yorkshire are from the Old English personal name Cola (or the cognate Old Norse Koli; see Cole ) + Old English tūn ‘enclosure settlement’. The place so named in Somerset has as its first element the Old English personal name Cūla (of uncertain origin). The one in Cumbria has a river name apparently derived from a Celtic word meaning ‘hazel’. This English name is also common in Ireland; it was the name of a bishop of Derry in 1397. There seems also to have been confusion with Culliton . Scottish and Irish (Monaghan): shortened and altered form of Gaelic Mac Haldan ‘son of Haldan’ see Haldane .

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


Similar surnames: Holton, Colston, Tolton, Elton, Bolton, Calton, Coulton, Chilton

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 Colton family from?

You can see how Colton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Colton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Colton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 44 Colton families living in Massachusetts. This was about 22% of all the recorded Colton's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Colton families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Colton 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 Colton ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Colton. 15% of Colton men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Colton women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Colton were Carpenter and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Colton | 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
    15%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Clerk
    6%
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What Colton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 71,000 census records available for the last name Colton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Colton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Colton

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Colton. For the veterans among your Colton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Colton lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Colton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Colton in 1942 was 31, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Colton

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