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Terpstra Family History

Terpstra Surname Meaning

West Frisian and Dutch: topographic name composed with the suffix -stra from Old Frisian sittera ‘inhabitant of’ denoting someone who lived on a terp

a prehistoric man-made mound built on lowlying land as a habitation site.

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


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Where is the Terpstra family from?

You can see how Terpstra families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Terpstra family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Terpstra families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 14 Terpstra families living in Michigan. This was about 82% of all the recorded Terpstra's in USA. Michigan had the highest population of Terpstra families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Terpstra 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 Terpstra ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Terpstra. 33% of Terpstra men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Terpstra women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Terpstra were Farm Operator and Housemaid.

View Census Data for Terpstra | 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
    33%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Farm Operator
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    20%
  • Housewife
    20%
  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Housemaid
    14%

What Terpstra family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Terpstra. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Terpstra census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Terpstra

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Terpstra. 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 Terpstra immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 700 military records available for the last name Terpstra. For the veterans among your Terpstra ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Terpstra military records

You've only scratched the surface of Terpstra family history

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What is the average Terpstra lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Terpstra life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Terpstra in 1944 was 31, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Terpstra

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Terpstra 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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