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Eaton Family History

Eaton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called Eaton or Eton such as Eaton Socon (Bedfordshire) Eaton (Cheshire) or Eton (Buckinghamshire) named from either Old English ēa ‘river’ or ēg ‘island low-lying land’ + tūn ‘enclosure settlement’.

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


Similar surnames: Easton, Seaton, Heaton, Ecton, Exton, Yeaton, Elton, Caton, Leaton

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 Eaton family from?

You can see how Eaton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Eaton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Eaton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 263 Eaton families living in New York. This was about 16% of all the recorded Eaton's in USA. New York had the highest population of Eaton families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Eaton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Eaton ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Eaton. 15% of Eaton men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Eaton women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Eaton were Truck Driver and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Eaton | 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
    15%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Clerk
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Eaton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 427,000 census records available for the last name Eaton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Eaton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Eaton

Passenger Lists

There are 36,000 immigration records available for the last name Eaton. 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 Eaton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 69,000 military records available for the last name Eaton. For the veterans among your Eaton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Eaton military records

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What is the average Eaton lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Eaton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Eaton in 1940 was 33, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Eaton

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Eaton family tree

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