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Geist Family History

Geist Name Meaning

German: in most cases a distorted form of Geiss ‘goat’ a metonymic occupational name for a goatherd or nickname for a stubborn person from Middle High German geiz ‘goat’. German: topographic or habitational name referring to a house marked by the sign of the Holy Spirit (normally depicted as a dove) from Middle High German geist ‘spirit’. Both Geist and Heilgeist occur as house signs in Frankfurt am Main in the mid 14th century. North German: topographic name for someone who lived in an area of barren sandy soil Middle Low German gēst.

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


Similar surnames: Reis, Geiss, Gest, Feist, Leist, Gast, Gerst, Weiss, Oest, Geiser

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Geist family from?

You can see how Geist families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Geist family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Geist families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 26 Geist families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 84% of all the recorded Geist's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Geist families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Geist surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Geist ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Geist. 16% of Geist men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Geist women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Geist were Carpenter and Housework. .

View Census Data for Geist | 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

  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    9%
  • Housewife
    8%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Housework
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Geist family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 22,000 census records available for the last name Geist. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Geist census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Geist

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Geist. 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 Geist immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Geist. For the veterans among your Geist ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Geist family history

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What is the average Geist lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Geist life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Geist in 1944 was 28, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Geist

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