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Dexter Family History

Dexter Name Meaning

English (East Midlands): occupational name from Middle English dexter(e) dei(gh)ester deyster ‘dyer’ (Old English deaʒestre deʒ(e)stre). The word originally denoted a female dyer but came to be used for dyers of both sexes. Compare Dyer .

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


Similar surnames: Jester, Center, Baxter, Reiter, Denier, Deaver, Dekker, Depner

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Dexter family from?

You can see how Dexter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dexter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dexter families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 97 Dexter families living in Massachusetts. This was about 26% of all the recorded Dexter's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Dexter families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dexter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Dexter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Dexter. 16% of Dexter men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Dexter women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dexter were Truck Driver and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Dexter | 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
    16%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    12%
  • Waitress
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Stenographer
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dexter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 100,000 census records available for the last name Dexter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dexter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Dexter

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Dexter. 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 Dexter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Dexter. For the veterans among your Dexter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Dexter lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Dexter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Dexter in 1944 was 31, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dexter

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