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Lancaster Family History

Lancaster Name Meaning

English: habitational name from Lancaster in northwestern England which is recorded as Loncastre in 1086. The place takes its name from the river Lune + Old English ceaster ‘city Roman fortification’ (from Latin castra ‘legionary camp’). The river name is probably British perhaps related to Gaelic slán ‘healthy’ ‘salubrious’.

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


Similar surnames: Doncaster, Waycaster, Manchester, Winchester, Casler, Cater, Laster

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Where is the Lancaster family from?

You can see how Lancaster families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lancaster family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lancaster families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 281 Lancaster families living in Ontario. This was about 66% of all the recorded Lancaster's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Lancaster families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lancaster surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Lancaster ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Lancaster. 44% of Lancaster men worked as a Farmer and 18% of Lancaster women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lancaster were Laborer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Lancaster | 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
    44%
  • Labourer
    11%
  • Carpenter
    9%
  • Laborer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Servant
    18%
  • Teacher
    14%
  • Stenographer
    14%
  • Housewife
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Lancaster family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 263,000 census records available for the last name Lancaster. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lancaster census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Lancaster

Passenger Lists

There are 22,000 immigration records available for the last name Lancaster. 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 Lancaster immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 43,000 military records available for the last name Lancaster. For the veterans among your Lancaster ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lancaster military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lancaster family history

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What is the average Lancaster lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Lancaster life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Lancaster in 1943 was 22, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lancaster

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