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Leiston Family History

Leiston Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Liston, Leston, Leisten, Easton, Linton, Whiston, Beaston, Elston

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Leiston family from?

You can see how Leiston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leiston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leiston families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there was 1 Leiston family living in Devon. This was about 50% of all the recorded Leiston's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Leiston families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leiston 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 Leiston ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Leiston. 34% of Leiston men worked as a Laborer and 100% of Leiston women worked as a Housework.

View Census Data for Leiston | 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

  • Laborer
    34%
  • Farmer
    23%
  • Salesman
    23%
  • Waterman
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    100%

What Leiston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 376 census records available for the last name Leiston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Leiston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Leiston

Passenger Lists

There are 11 immigration records available for the last name Leiston. 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 Leiston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 72 military records available for the last name Leiston. For the veterans among your Leiston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leiston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leiston family history

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What is the average Leiston lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2002, in the United States, Leiston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Leiston in 1964 was 60, and 90 in 2002.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leiston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leiston 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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