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Olston Family History

Olston Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Alston, Colston, Rolston, Elston, Holston, Olsson, Olson, Polston

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Olston family from?

You can see how Olston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Olston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Olston families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there was 1 Olston family living in Manitoba. This was about 50% of all the recorded Olston's in Canada. Manitoba and 1 other province had the highest population of Olston families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Olston 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 Olston ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Olston. 38% of Olston men worked as a Laborer and 29% of Olston women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Olston were Painter and Housework.

View Census Data for Olston | 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

  • Laborer
    38%
  • Farmer
    32%
  • Truck Driver
    11%
  • Painter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    29%
  • Cook
    29%
  • Servant
    15%
  • Housework
    15%

What Olston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Olston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Olston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Olston

Passenger Lists

There are 315 immigration records available for the last name Olston. 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 Olston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 245 military records available for the last name Olston. For the veterans among your Olston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Olston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Olston family history

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What is the average Olston lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2003, in the United States, Olston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Olston in 1945 was 37, and 80 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Olston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Olston 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.

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