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Borst Family History

Borst Surname Meaning

German (also Börst): from Middle High German borst(e) ‘bristle brush’ hence a nickname for someone with a prickly temperament or a metonymic occupational name for a brush maker. Compare Boerst.

Dutch: nickname for a pal, companion, juvenile or student from the Middle Dutch word borst from Latin bursa; compare Bursch.

Or a topographic name from bors with t- plural which word possibly indicates ‘bog myrtle’ while bors also is an old word for ‘bear’.

The third possibility is a physical nickname in relation to the word borst ‘breast, chest’ for someone with a broad or hairy chest.

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


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Where is the Borst family from?

You can see how Borst families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Borst family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Borst families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 10 Borst families living in London. This was about 71% of all the recorded Borst's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Borst families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Borst 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 Borst ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Borst. 100% of Borst women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Borst | 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
    100%

What Borst family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Borst. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Borst census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Borst

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Borst. For the veterans among your Borst ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Borst military records

You've only scratched the surface of Borst family history

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What is the average Borst lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Borst life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Borst in 1951 was 46, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Borst

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Borst 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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