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East Family History

East Surname Meaning

English: topographic name for someone who came from the east or who lived on the eastern side of a settlement.

Compare Estes.

Americanized form (translation into English) of North German Ost and Swedish Öst.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the East family from?

You can see how East families moved over time by selecting different census years. The East family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most East families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,252 East families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded East's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of East families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the East 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 East ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named East. 8% of East men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of East women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named East were Gardener and Private Means.

View Census Data for East | 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

  • General Labourer
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Farmer
    3%
  • Gardener
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What East family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 205,000 census records available for the last name East. Like a window into their day-to-day life, East census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for East

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name East. 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 East immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 81,000 military records available for the last name East. For the veterans among your East ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all East military records

You've only scratched the surface of East family history

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What is the average East lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, East life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for East in 1943 was 49, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for East

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

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