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Beste Family History

Beste Surname Meaning

German: topographic name for someone who lived by the Beste river, a tributary of the Trave (Brandenburg), or a habitational name from any of various villages called Besten (North Rhine-Westphalia), said to be named with a Middle Low German word for poor soil.

German: from a short form of the personal name Sebastian.

English (London) and French: variant of Best.

This surname is rare in both Britain and France.

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


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Where is the Beste family from?

You can see how Beste families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Beste family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Beste families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 28 Beste families living in London. This was about 60% of all the recorded Beste's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Beste families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Beste 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 Beste ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Beste. 80% of Beste women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Beste | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Dressmaker
    20%

What Beste family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Beste. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Beste census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Beste

Passenger Lists

There are 807 immigration records available for the last name Beste. 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 Beste immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Beste. For the veterans among your Beste ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Beste military records

You've only scratched the surface of Beste family history

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What is the average Beste lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Beste life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Beste in 1953 was 21, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Beste

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Beste 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Beste family tree

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