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Leist Family History

Leist Name Meaning

German: metonymic occupational name for a maker of lasts or a cobbler, from Middle High German leist ‘last’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Geist, List, Leis, Leise, Reis, Feist, Leiss, Geiss, Weiss, Leiser

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 Leist family from?

You can see how Leist families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leist family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leist families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 17 Leist families living in Ohio. This was about 94% of all the recorded Leist's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Leist families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leist 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 Leist ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Leist. 21% of Leist men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Leist women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Leist were Clerk and Housework. .

View Census Data for Leist | 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
    21%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Truck Driver
    6%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Secretary
    9%
  • Housework
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Leist family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Leist. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Leist census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Leist

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Leist. 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 Leist immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Leist. For the veterans among your Leist ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leist military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leist family history

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What is the average Leist lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Leist life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Leist in 1948 was 46, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leist

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