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Ganster Family History

Ganster Surname Meaning

German: nickname for a vivacious or fiery man from Middle High German ganster ‘spark’.

Nickname or occupational name from South German ganster ‘gander’.

Compare Ganter.

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


Similar surnames

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ganster family from?

You can see how Ganster families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ganster family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Ganster families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 21 Ganster families living in London. This was about 45% of all the recorded Ganster's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ganster families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ganster surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Ganster ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ganster. 35% of Ganster men worked as a Laborer and 29% of Ganster women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ganster were Machinist and Saleslady.

View Census Data for Ganster | 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
    35%
  • Mechanic
    13%
  • Clerk
    13%
  • Machinist
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    29%
  • Secretary
    15%
  • Domestic
    15%
  • Saleslady
    15%

What Ganster family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Ganster

Passenger Lists

There are 305 immigration records available for the last name Ganster. 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 Ganster immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 551 military records available for the last name Ganster. For the veterans among your Ganster ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ganster military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ganster family history

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What is the average Ganster lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Ganster life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1979, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Ganster in 1947 was 52, and 99 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ganster 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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