History of your Surname
Get access to Mest family records.Start a free trial

Mest Family History

Mest Name Meaning

German: unexplained. It is found mainly in Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein. Breton (Finistère; also Le Mest): occupational name an equivalent of French Maitre derived from mestr ‘master’.

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


Similar surnames: Test, Best, Oest, Mess, Most, Mast, Meny, Rist, Wiest, Vest

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Mest family from?

You can see how Mest families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mest family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mest families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Mest families living in Pennsylvania. This was 100% of all the recorded Mest's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Mest families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mest surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Mest ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Mest. 24% of Mest men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Mest women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mest were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Mest | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    24%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Farm Laborer
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    12%
  • Housework
    10%
  • Bookkeeper
    10%
  • Housekeeper
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Mest family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Mest. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mest census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Mest

Passenger Lists

There are 526 immigration records available for the last name Mest. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Mest immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Mest. For the veterans among your Mest ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mest military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mest family history

Discover More

What is the average Mest lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Mest life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Mest in 1952 was 57, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mest

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Mest family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Mest last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial