History of your Surname
Get access to Kester family records.Start a free trial

Kester Family History

Kester Name Meaning

Dutch (also Van Kester) and German: habitational name from any of the places with a name formed with kester from Latin castra ‘army camp’ like Kester in Belgian Brabant or Kesteren in the Betuwe.

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


Similar surnames: Keaster, Keister, Mester, Oester, Keser, Kestel, Koster, Pester

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Kester family from?

You can see how Kester families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kester family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kester families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 70 Kester families living in Ontario. This was about 80% of all the recorded Kester's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Kester families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kester surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kester ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Kester. 55% of Kester men worked as a Farmer. .

View Census Data for Kester | 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
    55%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Retired
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kester family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 36,000 census records available for the last name Kester. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kester census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kester

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Kester. For the veterans among your Kester ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kester military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kester family history

Discover More

What is the average Kester lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Kester life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Kester in 1945 was 41, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kester

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kester family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Kester last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial