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Foist Family History

Foist Surname Meaning

Perhaps an Americanized form of German Fürst (see Furst) or of Feist.

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


Similar surnames: 

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Foist family from?

You can see how Foist families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Foist family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Foist families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there was 1 Foist family living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Foist's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Foist families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Foist 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 Foist ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housework were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Foist. 48% of Foist men worked as a Farmer and 30% of Foist women worked as a Housework. Some less common occupations for Americans named Foist were Salesman and Maid.

View Census Data for Foist | 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

  • Farmer
    48%
  • Laborer
    20%
  • Truck Driver
    9%
  • Salesman
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housework
    30%
  • Stenographer
    30%
  • Housewife
    20%
  • Maid
    20%

What Foist family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Foist. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Foist census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Foist

Passenger Lists

There are 85 immigration records available for the last name Foist. 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 Foist immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 521 military records available for the last name Foist. For the veterans among your Foist ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Foist military records

You've only scratched the surface of Foist family history

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What is the average Foist lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Foist life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1978, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Foist in 1961 was 50, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Foist

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Foist 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Foist family tree

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