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Riston Family History

Riston Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Long Riston (East Yorkshire), North and South Reston (Lincolnshire), and East and Sco Ruston (Norfolk). The placenames derive from Old English hrīs ‘brushwood’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’. The name may sometimes have been confused with Ritson.

English: occasional variant of Rushton.

Scottish: habitational name from Reston in Coldingham (Berwickshire), cognate with 1 above.

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


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Where is the Riston family from?

You can see how Riston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Riston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Riston families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 11 Riston families living in Ontario. This was about 69% of all the recorded Riston's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Riston families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Riston 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 Riston ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Riston. 47% of Riston men worked as a Laborer and 39% of Riston women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Riston were Salesman and Clerk.

View Census Data for Riston | 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
    47%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Accountant
    13%
  • Salesman
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    39%
  • Stenographer
    31%
  • Housewife
    16%
  • Clerk
    16%

What Riston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Riston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Riston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Riston

Passenger Lists

There are 371 immigration records available for the last name Riston. 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 Riston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 300 military records available for the last name Riston. For the veterans among your Riston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Riston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Riston family history

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What is the average Riston lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Riston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Riston in 1944 was 50, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Riston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Riston 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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