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Upton Family History

Upton Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the many places in England called Upton most of which are named with Old English upp ‘upper’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’ though some have different origins such as one in Essex originally named with the phrase upp in tūne ‘up in the settlement’ i.e. the higher part of the settlement and Upton Lovell (Wiltshire) which derives from the Old English personal name Ubba + Old English tūn. This name was brought to Ireland (Antrim) in 1598 by Henry Upton from Upton in Devon.

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


Similar surnames: Upson, Lupton, Elton, Alton, Hunton, Dunton, Buxton, Caton, Lutton

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 Upton family from?

You can see how Upton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Upton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Upton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 80 Upton families living in Massachusetts. This was about 28% of all the recorded Upton's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Upton families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Upton 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 Upton ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Upton. 18% of Upton men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Upton women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Upton were Carpenter and Cook. .

View Census Data for Upton | 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
    18%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    8%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Maid
    7%
  • Cook
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Upton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 176,000 census records available for the last name Upton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Upton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Upton

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Upton. 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 Upton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Upton. For the veterans among your Upton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Upton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Upton family history

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What is the average Upton lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Upton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Upton in 1942 was 25, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Upton

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