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

Williston Family History

Williston Name Meaning

English or Scottish: unexplained. This has the form of a habitational name but no such place has been identified. It may be an altered form of Willison or possibly a habitational name from Willesden now part of North London.

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


Similar surnames: Alliston, Liston, Willison, Elliston, Wollaston, Wigginton, Winston

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 Williston family from?

You can see how Williston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Williston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Williston families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 210 Williston families living in New Brunswick. This was about 76% of all the recorded Williston's in Canada. New Brunswick had the highest population of Williston families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Williston surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Williston ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Williston. 37% of Williston men worked as a Labourer and 100% of Williston women worked as a Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Williston | 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

  • Labourer
    37%
  • Farmer
    37%
  • Fisherman
    8%
  • Laborer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Williston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Williston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Williston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Williston

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Williston. For the veterans among your Williston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Williston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Williston family history

Discover More

What is the average Williston lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Williston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1971. The average life expectancy for Williston in 1952 was 40, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Williston

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Williston family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Williston last name

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