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Feist Family History

Feist Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a stout person from Middle High German veiz(e)t German feist ‘well covered well fed’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace) Poland and Slovenia.

Perhaps also English: variant of Feast and Feest.

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 Feist family from?

You can see how Feist families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Feist family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Feist families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 47 Feist families living in Sussex. This was about 35% of all the recorded Feist's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Feist families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Feist 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 Feist ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Feist. 43% of Feist men worked as a Gardener and 73% of Feist women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Feist were Builders Labourer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Feist | 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

  • Gardener
    43%
  • Retired
    29%
  • Builders Labourer
    29%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Private Means
    4%

What Feist family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Feist. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Feist census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Feist

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Feist. For the veterans among your Feist ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Feist military records

You've only scratched the surface of Feist family history

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What is the average Feist lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Feist life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Feist in 1953 was 53, and 84 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Feist

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Feist 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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