History of your Surname
Get access to Tristan family records.Start a free trial

Tristan Family History

Tristan Name Meaning

Spanish (Tristán) and French: from the medieval personal name Tristán Tristan derived from a British Celtic legend which became incorporated into the Arthurian cycle as the story of Tristan and Iseult. The name is of unknown derivation. It was transmitted through Old French and became associated by folk etymology with Latin tristis ‘sad’.

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


Similar surnames: Kristan, Brinton, Cristina, Brian, Kristal, Kriston, Tilton, Cristo

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Tristan family from?

You can see how Tristan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tristan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Tristan families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 14 Tristan families living in London. This was about 33% of all the recorded Tristan's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Tristan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tristan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Tristan ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Tristan. 49% of Tristan men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Tristan women worked as a Maid. .

View Census Data for Tristan | 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, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    49%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Farm Laborer
    9%
  • Fruit Picker
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Tristan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Tristan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tristan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tristan

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Tristan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tristan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 445 military records available for the last name Tristan. For the veterans among your Tristan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Tristan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Tristan family history

Discover More

What is the average Tristan lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Tristan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Tristan in 1964 was 37, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tristan

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Tristan family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Tristan last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial