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Washington Family History

Washington Name Meaning

English: habitational name from Washington in Durham possibly also from Washington in Sussex. The Durham placename derives from an Old English personal name Hwassa Hwæssa + the Old English connective -ing- + tūn ‘farmstead estate’. In North America this surname is by far most common among African Americans (see 2 below). African American: from the personal name Washington (or George Washington) adopted in honor of George Washington the 1st president of the US; or adoption of the surname in 1 above in most cases probably for the same reason.

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


Similar surnames: Wallington, Withington, Warmington, Warrington, Harrington

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Where is the Washington family from?

You can see how Washington families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Washington family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Washington families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 124 Washington families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Washington's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Washington families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Washington surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Washington ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Nurse were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Washington. 45% of Washington men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Washington women worked as a Nurse. Some less common occupations for Americans named Washington were Labourer and Foundry Laborer. .

View Census Data for Washington | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    45%
  • Student
    10%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Labourer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Nurse
    60%
  • Foundry Laborer
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Washington family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 473,000 census records available for the last name Washington. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Washington census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Washington

Passenger Lists

There are 17,000 immigration records available for the last name Washington. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 237,000 military records available for the last name Washington. For the veterans among your Washington ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Washington lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Washington life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Washington in 1940 was 32, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Washington

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