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Tilson Family History

Tilson Surname Meaning

English (mainly northern Midlands and Yorkshire): metronymic from the Middle English female personal name Till (a pet form of Matilda) + -son

i.e. ‘son of Till’. Compare Tillotson.

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 Tilson family from?

You can see how Tilson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tilson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tilson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 55 Tilson families living in Ontario. This was about 72% of all the recorded Tilson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Tilson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tilson 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 Tilson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Tilson. 46% of Tilson men worked as a Farmer.

View Census Data for Tilson | 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
    46%
  • Farming
    19%
  • Labourer
    19%
  • Salesman
    10%

What Tilson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 25,000 census records available for the last name Tilson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tilson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Tilson

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Tilson. 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 Tilson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Tilson. For the veterans among your Tilson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tilson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tilson family history

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What is the average Tilson lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Tilson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Tilson in 1950 was 54, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tilson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Tilson 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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