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Westra Family History

Westra Surname Meaning

West Frisian and Dutch: topographic name from west ‘western’ + the suffix -stra from Old Frisian sittera ‘inhabitant of’.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Westra family from?

You can see how Westra families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Westra family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Westra families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 11 Westra families living in Gloucestershire. This was about 79% of all the recorded Westra's in United Kingdom. Gloucestershire had the highest population of Westra families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Westra 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 Westra ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Secretary were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Westra. 33% of Westra men worked as a Farmer and 21% of Westra women worked as a Secretary. Some less common occupations for Americans named Westra were Mechanic and Machine Operator.

View Census Data for Westra | 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
    10%
  • Farm Laborer
    9%
  • Mechanic
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Secretary
    21%
  • House Work
    17%
  • Maid
    13%
  • Machine Operator
    9%

What Westra family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Westra. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Westra census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Westra

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 450 military records available for the last name Westra. For the veterans among your Westra ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Westra military records

You've only scratched the surface of Westra family history

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What is the average Westra lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Westra life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1964. The average life expectancy for Westra in 1953 was 46, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Westra

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Westra 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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