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Gilstad Family History

Gilstad 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: Gilstrap, Kolstad, Balstad, Gaustad, Molstad, Rolstad, Olstad, Elstad

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gilstad family from?

You can see how Gilstad families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilstad family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Gilstad families were found in USA in 1920. In 1851 there was 1 Gilstad family living in Aberdeenshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Gilstad's in Scotland. Aberdeenshire had the highest population of Gilstad families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilstad 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 Gilstad ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gilstad. 28% of Gilstad men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Gilstad women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilstad were Salesman and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Gilstad | 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
    28%
  • Carpenter
    19%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Salesman
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%

What Gilstad family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 578 census records available for the last name Gilstad. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilstad census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gilstad

Passenger Lists

There are 91 immigration records available for the last name Gilstad. 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 Gilstad immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 99 military records available for the last name Gilstad. For the veterans among your Gilstad ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilstad military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilstad family history

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What is the average Gilstad lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2003, in the United States, Gilstad life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Gilstad in 1951 was 23, and 73 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilstad

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gilstad 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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