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Belter Family History

Belter Name Meaning

German: possibly from the ancient Germanic personal name Baldher a compound of bald ‘bold’ + her(i) ‘army’. North German: habitational name for someone from a place called Beelte. North German: occupational name for a belt and (leather) strap maker Middle Low German baltære.

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


Similar surnames: Bolter, Beller, Bester, Belger, Belt, Balter, Belzer, Bulter, Kelter

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 Belter family from?

You can see how Belter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Belter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Belter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 52 Belter families living in Wisconsin. This was about 25% of all the recorded Belter's in USA. Wisconsin had the highest population of Belter families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Belter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Belter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Belter. 32% of Belter men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Belter women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Belter were Farm Laborer and Laborer. .

View Census Data for Belter | 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
    32%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Machinist
    5%
  • Farm Laborer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    22%
  • Housework
    14%
  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Laborer
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Belter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Belter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Belter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Belter

Passenger Lists

There are 581 immigration records available for the last name Belter. 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 Belter immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Belter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Belter family history

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What is the average Belter lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Belter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Belter in 1953 was 41, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Belter

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