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Charlson Family History

Charlson Surname Meaning

Americanized form of Danish and Norwegian Carlsen or Karlsen and Swedish Carlsson or Karlsson.

English (Lancashire) and Scottish (Caithness): patronymic from the personal name Charles.

The personal name was very rare in England and Scotland until the 16th century and even then uncommon

so the surname may be of late formation (15th–16th centuries).

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Charlson family from?

You can see how Charlson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Charlson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Charlson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 26 Charlson families living in Ontario. This was about 41% of all the recorded Charlson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Charlson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Charlson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Charlson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Charlson. 33% of Charlson men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Charlson women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Charlson were Carpenter and Saleslady.

View Census Data for Charlson | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    33%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    20%
  • Teacher
    17%
  • Stenographer
    17%
  • Saleslady
    10%

What Charlson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Charlson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Charlson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Charlson

Passenger Lists

There are 895 immigration records available for the last name Charlson. 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 Charlson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 947 military records available for the last name Charlson. For the veterans among your Charlson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Charlson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Charlson family history

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What is the average Charlson lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Charlson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Charlson in 1941 was 43, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Charlson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Charlson ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Charlson family tree

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