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Meister Family History

Meister Name Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): status name for someone who was master of his craft from Middle High German meister ‘master’ (from Latin magister). As a Jewish surname it denoted a rabbi as a leading figure in a Jewish community. The German surname in this form is also found in some other European countries e.g. in France (Alsace) the Netherlands Czechia and Poland. Germanized form of Slovenian Majster or Majšter and possibly also of Czech Majstr: status name of ultimate German origin (see 1 above).

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


Similar surnames: Mester, Meisler, Meester, Leister, Feister, Weisser, Meisel, Meissner

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Meister family from?

You can see how Meister families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Meister family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Meister families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 22 Meister families living in London. This was about 67% of all the recorded Meister's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Meister families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Meister 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 Meister ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Meister. 82% of Meister women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Meister | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Domestic Help
    19%
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What Meister family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Meister. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Meister census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Meister

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Meister. 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 Meister immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 25,000 military records available for the last name Meister. For the veterans among your Meister ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Meister military records

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What is the average Meister lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Meister life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Meister in 1943 was 25, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Meister

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