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

Penson Family History

Penson Name Meaning

English:: patronymic from the Middle English female personal name Penn a pet form of Pernel or perhaps from the Middle English personal name Payne + -son. See Penn Parnell . habitational name from Penson in North Huish (Devon) which derives from the Anglo-Norman French personal name Payn(e) (see Payne ) + Middle English toun ‘village town settlement’ (Old English tūn ‘farmstead estate’).

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


Similar surnames: Benson, Person, Penso, Penton, Henson, Wonson, Merson, Denson, Kelson

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 Penson family from?

You can see how Penson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Penson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Penson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 40 Penson families living in Ontario. This was about 38% of all the recorded Penson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Penson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Penson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Penson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Penson. 71% of Penson men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Penson women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Penson were Carpenter and Commis. .

View Census Data for Penson | 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
    71%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Labourer
    12%
  • Carpenter
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    60%
  • Commis
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Penson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Penson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Penson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Penson

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Penson. 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 Penson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Penson. For the veterans among your Penson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Penson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Penson family history

Discover More

What is the average Penson lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Penson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Penson in 1951 was 55, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Penson

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Penson family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Penson last name

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