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Pilson Family History

Pilson Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire):: perhaps a variant of Puleston a habitational name from the Shropshire placename Puleston or alternatively a variant of Poulson with unrounding of the vowel.

perhaps a variant of Pelson (now rare or extinct in Britain) from the Middle English personal name Pell (see Pell) + son.

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


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Where is the Pilson family from?

You can see how Pilson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pilson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pilson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 23 Pilson families living in Ontario. This was about 53% of all the recorded Pilson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Pilson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pilson 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 Pilson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Pilson. 75% of Pilson men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Pilson | 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
    75%
  • Laborer
    25%

What Pilson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Pilson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pilson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Pilson

Passenger Lists

There are 794 immigration records available for the last name Pilson. 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 Pilson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 773 military records available for the last name Pilson. For the veterans among your Pilson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pilson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Pilson family history

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What is the average Pilson lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Pilson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Pilson in 1957 was 49, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pilson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Pilson 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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