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

Slaughter Family History

Slaughter Name Meaning

English:: in East Anglia and Essex an occupational name from Middle English slaughter ‘butcher’ a derivative of Middle English slaught ‘butchery’ + er or from a shortened form of the synonymous Middle English slaughterer a derivative of slaughter ‘butchery’ + -er. Compare Slater in Sussex and Surrey a habitational name denoting residence at one or other of several minor placenames such as Slaughter Bridge in Slinfold Slaughter Bridge in Shipley Slaughterford (Farm) in Itchingfield the lost Slaughters in Billingshurst (all Sussex) and Slaughterwicks Barn in Charlwood (Surrey). The names may derive from Middle English slo(gh) ‘sloe blackthorn’ (Old English slāh) + tre ‘tree’ (Old English trēow) or from Middle English sloghtre sloghtere ‘slough mire muddy place’ or perhaps ‘deep river valley’ or ‘ditch’ (Old English slōhtre). The latter is certainly the etymology of Upper and Lower Slaughter (Gloucestershire) and The Slaughter in English Bicknor (Gloucestershire).

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


Similar surnames: Auchter, Laughter, Sauter, Slater, Lauter, Lichter, Laughton, Slagter

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 Slaughter family from?

You can see how Slaughter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Slaughter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Slaughter families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 62 Slaughter families living in Ontario. This was about 71% of all the recorded Slaughter's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Slaughter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Slaughter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Slaughter ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Slaughter. 30% of Slaughter men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Slaughter | 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
    30%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Labourer
    15%
  • Barber
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Slaughter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 135,000 census records available for the last name Slaughter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Slaughter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Slaughter

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Slaughter. 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 Slaughter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Slaughter. For the veterans among your Slaughter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Slaughter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Slaughter family history

Discover More

What is the average Slaughter lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Slaughter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Slaughter in 1942 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Slaughter

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Slaughter family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Slaughter last name

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