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Diest Family History

Diest Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Dies, Dienst, Wiest, Fiest, Best, Oest, Priest, Diego, Ries, Dust

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Diest family from?

You can see how Diest families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Diest family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Diest families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 7 Diest families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 41% of all the recorded Diest's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Diest families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Diest 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 Diest ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Secretary were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Diest. 48% of Diest men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Diest women worked as a Secretary.

View Census Data for Diest | 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

  • Farmer
    48%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Truck Driver
    14%
  • Dairy Labor
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Secretary
    100%

What Diest family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Diest. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Diest census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Diest

Passenger Lists

There are 416 immigration records available for the last name Diest. 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 Diest immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Diest. For the veterans among your Diest ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Diest military records

You've only scratched the surface of Diest family history

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What is the average Diest lifespan?

Between 1965 and 1999, in the United States, Diest life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1970, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Diest in 1965 was 75, and 72 in 1999.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Diest

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Diest 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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