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Gerst Family History

Gerst Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name for a grower of or dealer in barley or more generally for a farmer from Middle High German gerste.

German Gerste ‘barley’.

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


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Where is the Gerst family from?

You can see how Gerst families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gerst family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gerst families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 9 Gerst families living in Cheshire. This was about 26% of all the recorded Gerst's in United Kingdom. Cheshire and 1 other county had the highest population of Gerst families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gerst 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 Gerst ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gerst. 23% of Gerst men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Gerst women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gerst were Carpenter and Nurse.

View Census Data for Gerst | 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
    23%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Clerk
    10%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Nurse
    7%

What Gerst family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Gerst. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gerst census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gerst

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Gerst. 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 Gerst immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Gerst. For the veterans among your Gerst ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gerst military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gerst family history

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What is the average Gerst lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gerst life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Gerst in 1940 was 30, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gerst

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gerst 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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