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

Shelton Family History

Shelton Name Meaning

English (Nottinghamshire): habitational name primarily from Shelton (Nottinghamshire) but also from Shelton (Bedfordshire Norfolk Shropshire and Staffordshire). The placenames all derive from Old English scelf ‘rock ledge shelf’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

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


Similar surnames: Sheldon, Helton, Shenton, Chilton, Seaton, Shipton, Halton, Hulton

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 Shelton family from?

You can see how Shelton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shelton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shelton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 172 Shelton families living in Ontario. This was about 71% of all the recorded Shelton's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Shelton families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shelton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Shelton ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Shelton. 40% of Shelton men worked as a Farmer and 36% of Shelton women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shelton were Farmers Son and Income. .

View Census Data for Shelton | 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
    40%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Farmers Son
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    36%
  • Stenographer
    22%
  • Nurse
    15%
  • Income
    15%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shelton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 329,000 census records available for the last name Shelton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Shelton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Shelton

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Shelton. 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 Shelton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 70,000 military records available for the last name Shelton. For the veterans among your Shelton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shelton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shelton family history

Discover More

What is the average Shelton lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Shelton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Shelton in 1941 was 28, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shelton

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Shelton family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Shelton last name

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