This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Hester family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Hester Family History

Hester Surname Meaning

North German: topographic name for someone who lived by a conspicuous beech tree. Middle Low German hēster, Middle High German heister ‘young tree (especially beech or oak)’. Compare Heister.

English: variant of Easter with prosthetic H-.

Irish (Mayo and Roscommon): possibly a shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hOistir ‘descendant of Oistir’, a personal name of unexplained etymology.

However, without any early bearers in Gaelic sources, it may simply be the English name in Ireland.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Hester family from?

You can see how Hester families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hester family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hester families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 338 Hester families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Hester's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Hester families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hester surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Hester ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Hester. 13% of Hester men worked as a Gardener and 73% of Hester women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hester were Railway Clerk and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Hester | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • Gardener
    13%
  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    6%
  • Railway Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Hester family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 139,000 census records available for the last name Hester. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hester census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Hester

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Hester. 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 Hester immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Hester. For the veterans among your Hester ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hester military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hester family history

Discover More

What is the average Hester lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Hester life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Hester in 1941 was 43, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hester

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Hester 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 Hester family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial