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Rost Family History

Rost Surname Meaning

German: nickname for a red-haired man from Middle High German rost ‘rust’. German: metonymic occupational name for a limeburner or blacksmith from Middle High German Middle Low German rōst ‘grate grill’ or Middle High German rōst(e) ‘fire embers pyre grate’ (typically one for burning lime).

Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): from German Rost ‘rust’ also ‘grill grating’ (compare 1 and 2 above) mainly one of names distributed at random by Austrian clerks.

Norwegian (Røst): habitational name from the farm name Røst from rust ‘small wood grove’.

English (Kent): variant of Rust.

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


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Where is the Rost family from?

You can see how Rost families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rost family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rost families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 57 Rost families living in London. This was about 50% of all the recorded Rost's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rost families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rost 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 Rost ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Rost. 82% of Rost women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Rost | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Private Means
    19%

What Rost family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 30,000 census records available for the last name Rost. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rost census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rost

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Rost. 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 Rost immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Rost. For the veterans among your Rost ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rost military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rost family history

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What is the average Rost lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Rost life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Rost in 1943 was 48, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rost

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rost 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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