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Stevenson Family History

Stevenson Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Steven Stephen (see Steven) + -son. This surname is also very common in northern Ireland (especially Antrim and Down) where it has been interchangeable with Steenson and Stinson.

In North America this surname has also absorbed various European cognates such as Danish, Norwegian, and North German Steffensen or Stephensen; see also Stevens.

Scottish: variant of Stevenston a habitational name from Stevenston (Ayrshire), Stevenson in Newlands (Peeblesshire), or Stevenson in Haddington (East Lothian).

The placename in each case derives from the personal name Steven + Older Scots toun ‘farmstead, settlement’.

English: habitational name from Stevenstone (Devon) meaning ‘Stephen's farmstead’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Stevenson family from?

You can see how Stevenson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Stevenson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Stevenson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 1,466 Stevenson families living in Ontario. This was about 46% of all the recorded Stevenson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Stevenson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Stevenson 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 Stevenson ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Stevenson. 35% of Stevenson men worked as a Farmer and 13% of Stevenson women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Stevenson were Carpenter and Student.

View Census Data for Stevenson | 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
    35%
  • Labourer
    7%
  • Laborer
    6%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housewife
    13%
  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Student
    7%

What Stevenson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 692,000 census records available for the last name Stevenson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Stevenson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Stevenson

Passenger Lists

There are 100,000 immigration records available for the last name Stevenson. 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 Stevenson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 103,000 military records available for the last name Stevenson. For the veterans among your Stevenson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Stevenson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Stevenson family history

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What is the average Stevenson lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Stevenson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Stevenson in 1940 was 39, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Stevenson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Stevenson 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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