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Polter Family History

Polter Surname Meaning

Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): occupational name for a baker from Hebrew palter.

English (mainly Gloucestershire): variant of Poulter.

This surname is rare in Britain.

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 Polter family from?

You can see how Polter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Polter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Polter families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 80 Polter families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Polter's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Polter families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Polter 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 Polter 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 Polter. 24% of Polter men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Polter women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Polter were Butcher (slaughtirers) and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Polter | 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
    24%
  • Incapacitated
    15%
  • Bricklayer
    9%
  • Butcher (slaughtirers)
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Polter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Polter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Polter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Polter

Passenger Lists

There are 852 immigration records available for the last name Polter. 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 Polter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 653 military records available for the last name Polter. For the veterans among your Polter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Polter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Polter family history

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What is the average Polter lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Polter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1984. The average life expectancy for Polter in 1956 was 61, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Polter

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

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