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Garter Family History

Garter 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: Ganter, Garner, Garten, Carter, Garber, Barter, Gartner, Larter

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Garter family from?

You can see how Garter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Garter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Garter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 34 Garter families living in Ontario. This was about 79% of all the recorded Garter's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Garter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Garter 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 Garter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Garter. 24% of Garter men worked as a Laborer and 16% of Garter women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Garter were Farming and Teacher.

View Census Data for Garter | 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

  • Laborer
    24%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Salesman
    15%
  • Farming
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    16%
  • Housewife
    16%
  • Cook
    10%
  • Teacher
    10%

What Garter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Garter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Garter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Garter

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Garter. For the veterans among your Garter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Garter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Garter family history

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What is the average Garter lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2003, in the United States, Garter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1989, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Garter in 1962 was 86, and 73 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Garter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Garter 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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