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Etter Family History

Etter Name Meaning

South German and Swiss German: topographic name for someone who lived near the boundary fence of a village from Middle High German eter ‘woven boundary fence’. North German: from Middle Low German etter ‘uncle’ or ‘cousin’. Swiss German: from Middle High German etter ‘cousin’.

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


Similar surnames: Ketter, Petter, Wetter, Otter, Vetter, Ester, Nester, Netter, Notter

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Etter family from?

You can see how Etter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Etter family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Etter families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 34 Etter families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 46% of all the recorded Etter's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Etter families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Etter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Etter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Etter. 20% of Etter men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Etter women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Etter were Carpenter and Cook. .

View Census Data for Etter | 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
    20%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    8%
  • Housework
    7%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Cook
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Etter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Etter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Etter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Etter

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Etter. 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 Etter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Etter. For the veterans among your Etter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Etter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Etter family history

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What is the average Etter lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Etter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Etter in 1946 was 44, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Etter

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Etter family tree

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