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Poelstra Family History

Poelstra Surname Meaning

West Frisian and Dutch (mainly Groningen): topographic name for someone living by a muddy pool from pōl ‘(muddy) pool’.

The suffix -stra comes from Old Frisian sittera ‘inhabitant of’.

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 Poelstra family from?

You can see how Poelstra families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Poelstra family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Poelstra families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 5 Poelstra families living in Michigan. This was 100% of all the recorded Poelstra's in USA. Michigan had the highest population of Poelstra families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Poelstra 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 Poelstra ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman was the top reported job for people in the USA named Poelstra. 25% of Poelstra men worked as a Salesman.

View Census Data for Poelstra | 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

  • Salesman
    25%
  • Janitor
    25%
  • Accountant
    25%
  • Laborer Farming
    25%

What Poelstra family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 603 census records available for the last name Poelstra. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Poelstra census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Poelstra

Passenger Lists

There are 183 immigration records available for the last name Poelstra. 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 Poelstra immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 81 military records available for the last name Poelstra. For the veterans among your Poelstra ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Poelstra military records

You've only scratched the surface of Poelstra family history

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What is the average Poelstra lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Poelstra life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Poelstra in 1954 was 80, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Poelstra

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Poelstra 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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