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Carlson Family History

Carlson Surname Meaning

Americanized form (and a less common Swedish variant) of Swedish Carlsson or Karlsson . This is also an Americanized form of the Norwegian and Danish cognates Carlsen and Karlsen . Compare Charlson . German: variant of Karlson and in North America (also) an altered form of this. This surname is also found in Britain possibly to be associated first with immigration of German miners into Cumberland in the 16th century.

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


Similar surnames: Karlson, Carlsen, Charlson, Carlston, Carlsson, Arnson, Karlsen

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 Carlson family from?

You can see how Carlson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Carlson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Carlson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Carlson family living in Massachusetts. This was about 50% of all the recorded Carlson's in USA. Massachusetts and 1 other state had the highest population of Carlson families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Carlson 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 Carlson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Carlson. 14% of Carlson men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Carlson women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Carlson were Salesman and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Carlson | 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
    14%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    6%
  • Salesman
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Maid
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Carlson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 532,000 census records available for the last name Carlson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Carlson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Carlson

Passenger Lists

There are 226,000 immigration records available for the last name Carlson. 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 Carlson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 101,000 military records available for the last name Carlson. For the veterans among your Carlson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Carlson military records

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What is the average Carlson lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Carlson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Carlson in 1942 was 48, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Carlson

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