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Porst Family History

Porst Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Port, Post, Borst, Horst, Dorst, Forst, Vorst, Poust, Pobst, Korst

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Porst family from?

You can see how Porst families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Porst family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Porst families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 2 Porst families living in Ontario. This was about 67% of all the recorded Porst's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Porst families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Porst surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Porst ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Porst. 34% of Porst men worked as a Salesman and 50% of Porst women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Porst were Laborer and Secretary.

View Census Data for Porst | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Salesman
    34%
  • Farmer
    23%
  • Foreman
    23%
  • Laborer
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    50%
  • Secretary
    50%

What Porst family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 977 census records available for the last name Porst. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Porst census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Porst

Passenger Lists

There are 305 immigration records available for the last name Porst. 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 Porst immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 403 military records available for the last name Porst. For the veterans among your Porst ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Porst military records

You've only scratched the surface of Porst family history

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What is the average Porst lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Porst life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Porst in 1955 was 45, and 67 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Porst

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Porst ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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