History of your Surname
Get access to Waterston family records.Start a free trial

Waterston Family History

Waterston Name Meaning

Scottish: variant of Watherston a habitational name from an unidentified placename presumably in the Scottish Borders. Black's explanation that it is a form of Waterson cannot be correct though in later centuries the forms of the two names may have become confused.

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


Similar surnames: Watterson, Weatherton, Waters, Batterton, Catterson, Hairston

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Waterston family from?

You can see how Waterston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Waterston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Waterston families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1911 there were 35 Waterston families living in Ontario. This was about 39% of all the recorded Waterston's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Waterston families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Waterston surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Waterston ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Waterston. 75% of Waterston men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Waterston women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Waterston were Barrister and Wife. .

View Census Data for Waterston | 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
    75%
  • Barrister
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    50%
  • Wife
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Waterston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Waterston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Waterston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Waterston

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Waterston. 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 Waterston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 649 military records available for the last name Waterston. For the veterans among your Waterston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Waterston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Waterston family history

Discover More

What is the average Waterston lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2003, in the United States, Waterston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1982, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Waterston in 1962 was 85, and 77 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Waterston

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Waterston family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Waterston last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial