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Cranston Family History

Cranston Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from the barony of Cranston near Dalkeith (Midlothian) named from the genitive case of the Old English byname Cran meaning ‘crane’ + Old English tūn ‘settlement’.

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


Similar surnames: Swanston, Caston, Croston, Branton, Ruston, Branson, Crafton, Bratton

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 Cranston family from?

You can see how Cranston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cranston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cranston families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 204 Cranston families living in Ontario. This was about 69% of all the recorded Cranston's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Cranston families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cranston surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Cranston ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Cranston. 59% of Cranston men worked as a Farmer and 27% of Cranston women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cranston were Teacher and Student. .

View Census Data for Cranston | 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
    59%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Student
    6%
  • Teacher
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    27%
  • Stenographer
    20%
  • Dressmaker
    14%
  • Student
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Cranston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 46,000 census records available for the last name Cranston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cranston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Cranston

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Cranston. 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.

View all Cranston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Cranston. For the veterans among your Cranston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Cranston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Cranston family history

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What is the average Cranston lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Cranston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Cranston in 1959 was 58, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cranston

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Cranston family tree

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