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Retter Family History

Retter Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): perhaps an occupational name for a net-maker from Old French retier Anglo-Norman French retour. Compare Netter . English: perhaps an occupational name from Middle English retten ‘to soak flax or hemp in water’ + the derivational suffix -our or -er used for someone who prepared flax or hemp fibre. German: from an ancient Germanic personal name composed with rād rāt ‘counsel’ + hari heri ‘army’.

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


Similar surnames: Reeter, Setter, Rettler, Better, Retzer, Getter, Netter, Witter

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Where is the Retter family from?

You can see how Retter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Retter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Retter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 15 Retter families living in Ontario. This was about 41% of all the recorded Retter's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Retter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Retter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Retter ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Retter. 59% of Retter men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Retter | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    59%
  • Painter
    25%
  • Warehouseman
    17%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Retter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Retter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Retter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Retter

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Retter. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Retter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Retter. For the veterans among your Retter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Retter military records

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What is the average Retter lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Retter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Retter in 1962 was 77, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Retter

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