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Jackson Family History

Jackson Name Meaning

English Scottish and northern Irish: patronymic from Jack . In North America this surname has absorbed other patronymics beginning with J- in various European languages in particular those derived from equivalents or short forms and other derivatives of the personal name Jacob e.g. Norwegian Jacobsen or Jakobsen and in some cases Slovenian Jakše (from a derivative of the personal name Jakob ). This surname is also very common among African Americans (see also 2 below). African American: from the personal name Jackson (or Andrew Jackson) adopted in honor of Andrew Jackson the 7th president of the US; or adoption of the surname in 1 above in many cases probably for the same reason.

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


Similar surnames: Jacobson, Jason, Jameson, Dickson, Hickson, Jamison, Nickson, Jacks

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Where is the Jackson family from?

You can see how Jackson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Jackson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Jackson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 861 Jackson families living in New York. This was about 15% of all the recorded Jackson's in USA. New York had the highest population of Jackson families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Jackson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Jackson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Jackson. 22% of Jackson men worked as a Laborer and 13% of Jackson women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Jackson were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Jackson | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    22%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Farm Laborer
    3%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    13%
  • Cook
    9%
  • Laundress
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Jackson family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search US census records for Jackson

Passenger Lists

There are 325,000 immigration records available for the last name Jackson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Jackson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 585,000 military records available for the last name Jackson. For the veterans among your Jackson 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 Jackson family history

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What is the average Jackson lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Jackson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Jackson in 1940 was 47, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Jackson

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