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Koster Family History

Koster Surname Meaning

Dutch; North German (also Köster): originally a status name for a supervisor of the ecclesiastical garments of a church later for a sexton Middle Dutch coster(e) Middle Low German koster (from Latin costurarius). See also German Kuster compare Koester.

North German (Köster): occupational name or status name for a tenant on a small farm from Middle Low German koster from kossater ‘cottager’. Compare Koester.

South German: occupational name for a wine taster from kosten ‘to taste’.

Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a grocer or provisioner from German Kost ‘provisions foodstuffs’ + the agent suffix -er.

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


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Where is the Koster family from?

You can see how Koster families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Koster family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Koster families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 38 Koster families living in Ontario. This was about 97% of all the recorded Koster's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Koster families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Koster 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 Koster ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Koster. 45% of Koster men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Koster women worked as a Stenographer.

View Census Data for Koster | 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
    45%
  • Laborer
    34%
  • Labourer
    12%
  • Machinist
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    100%

What Koster family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 35,000 census records available for the last name Koster. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Koster census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Koster

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Koster. 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 Koster immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Koster. For the veterans among your Koster ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Koster military records

You've only scratched the surface of Koster family history

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What is the average Koster lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Koster life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Koster in 1943 was 35, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Koster

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Koster 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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