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Shafto Family History

Shafto Name Meaning

English (northern): habitational name from East and West Shaftoe in Hartburn (Northumberland) probably from Old English sceaft ‘shaft pole’ + hōh ‘heel spur of land’.

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


Similar surnames: Shan, Shaft, Slatton, Salto, Sato, Shao, Fratto, Spanton, Saffo

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Shafto family from?

You can see how Shafto families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Shafto family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Shafto families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 3 Shafto families living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Shafto's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Shafto families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Shafto surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Shafto ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Proprietor and Secretary were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Shafto. 19% of Shafto men worked as a Proprietor and 42% of Shafto women worked as a Secretary. Some less common occupations for Americans named Shafto were Farming and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Shafto | 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

  • Proprietor
    19%
  • Salesman
    14%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Farming
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Secretary
    42%
  • Teacher
    25%
  • Housekeeper
    17%
  • Stenographer
    17%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Shafto family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Shafto

Passenger Lists

There are 342 immigration records available for the last name Shafto. 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 Shafto immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 385 military records available for the last name Shafto. For the veterans among your Shafto ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Shafto military records

You've only scratched the surface of Shafto family history

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What is the average Shafto lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Shafto life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Shafto in 1965 was 77, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Shafto

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