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Lyster Family History

Lyster Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: variant of Lister. Norwegian: habitational name from the farm name Ljøsta in Romsdal probably derived from Old Norse ljóstr ‘fishing spear leister’.

Danish: nickname originally from Bornholm derived from a word for a fishing tackle for catching eel. Dutch: variant archaic or Americanized of Lijster a nickname from lijster ‘thrush’.

Possibly also an Americanized form of German Leister.

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


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Where is the Lyster family from?

You can see how Lyster families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lyster family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lyster families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 31 Lyster families living in Staffordshire. This was about 21% of all the recorded Lyster's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Lyster families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lyster 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 Lyster ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farm Worker General and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Lyster. 34% of Lyster men worked as a Farm Worker General and 69% of Lyster women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lyster were Motor Engine Fitter repair De and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Lyster | 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

  • Farm Worker General
    34%
  • Farmer
    34%
  • Motor Engine Fitter repair De
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Domestic Duties
    6%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    4%

What Lyster family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Lyster. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lyster census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lyster

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Lyster. 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 Lyster immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Lyster. For the veterans among your Lyster ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lyster military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lyster family history

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What is the average Lyster lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Lyster life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Lyster in 1960 was 56, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lyster

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lyster 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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