This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Wharton family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Wharton Family History

Wharton Surname Meaning

English:: habitational name from any of various places called Wharton in Westmorland, Cheshire, and Lincolnshire, or from Warton in Lancashire, Northumberland, and Warwickshire. The Lancashire, Lincolnshire, and Northumberland placenames probably derive from Old English weard ‘watch’ + tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

The Cheshire and Warwickshire placenames derive from Old English wæfre ‘swamp marshy ground’ + tūn. The Westmorland placename may derive from Old English hwearf ‘embankment shore wharf’ + tūn.

Perhaps occasionally a habitational name from Wiverton in Nottinghamshire derived from the Old English personal name Wīgfrith + Old English tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Wharton family from?

You can see how Wharton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wharton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wharton families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 64 Wharton families living in Ontario. This was about 32% of all the recorded Wharton's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Wharton families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wharton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Wharton ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Domestic were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Wharton. 37% of Wharton men worked as a Farmer and 27% of Wharton women worked as a Domestic. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wharton were Carpenter and Income.

View Census Data for Wharton | 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
    37%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Domestic
    27%
  • Bookkeeper
    20%
  • Nurse
    14%
  • Income
    14%

What Wharton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 133,000 census records available for the last name Wharton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wharton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wharton

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Wharton. 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 Wharton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 23,000 military records available for the last name Wharton. For the veterans among your Wharton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wharton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wharton family history

Discover More

What is the average Wharton lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Wharton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Wharton in 1943 was 39, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wharton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wharton 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 Wharton family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial