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Carton Family History

Carton Surname Meaning

French (northern) and Walloon; Flemish and Dutch (of French origin): occupational name for a carter derived from a Picard form of Old French charreton ‘carter’ hence a variant of French Charton. French: from Old French carton a measure of cereals; hence a metonymic occupational name for a grain merchant.

Spanish (Cartón): perhaps a nickname from cartón ‘cardboard’ of uncertain motivation. Irish (Wexford Derry Dublin): shortened form of McCartan.

English: habitational name from Corton in Suffolk (early recorded as Karetun denoting ‘Kari's village or estate’) but the earliest examples of the surname appear in Lincolnshire. A family from Corton could have migrated to Holbeach (Lincolnshire) by the 13th century retaining the former pronunciation of the placename.

Alternatively, Carton could have named a lost place in Lincolnshire or else it was an alternative name for Careby (Lincolnshire) north of Stamford, but there is no record of this. It is not certain that this surname has survived to the present time.

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


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Where is the Carton family from?

You can see how Carton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Carton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Carton families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 127 Carton families living in Lancashire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Carton's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Carton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Carton 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 Carton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Carton. 43% of Carton men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Carton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Carton were Colliery Dataller Below Grocer and Waitress.

View Census Data for Carton | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    43%
  • Coal Miner
    29%
  • Colliery Dataller Below Grocer
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housewife Unpaid
    4%
  • Waitress
    4%

What Carton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Carton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Carton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Carton

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Carton. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Carton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Carton. For the veterans among your Carton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Carton family history

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What is the average Carton lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Carton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Carton in 1959 was 55, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Carton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Carton 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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