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Deter Family History

Deter Surname Meaning

North German: from the personal name Detert which is a shortened form of Dethard from an old personal name composed of Old Saxon thioda ‘people race’ + hard ‘strong’.

Compare Teter. Posibly also an Americanized form of German Dieter.

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 Deter family from?

You can see how Deter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Deter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Deter families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4 Deter families living in Somerset. This was about 44% of all the recorded Deter's in United Kingdom. Somerset had the highest population of Deter families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Deter 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 Deter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Deter. 28% of Deter men worked as a Farmer and 26% of Deter women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Deter were Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Deter | 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

  • Farmer
    28%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Truck Driver
    9%
  • Clerk
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    26%
  • Clerk
    15%
  • Housewife
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    12%

What Deter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Deter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Deter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Deter

Passenger Lists

There are 453 immigration records available for the last name Deter. 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 Deter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Deter. For the veterans among your Deter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Deter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Deter family history

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What is the average Deter lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Deter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Deter in 1946 was 53, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Deter

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

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