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Leighter Family History

Leighter 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: Lighter, Leichter, Lichter, Laughter, Leighton, Keigher, Leiter

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Leighter family from?

You can see how Leighter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leighter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leighter families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 25 Leighter families living in British Columbia. This was about 61% of all the recorded Leighter's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Leighter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leighter 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 Leighter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Leighter. 29% of Leighter men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Leighter women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Leighter were Laborer and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Leighter | 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
    29%
  • Clerk
    20%
  • Labor
    15%
  • Laborer
    15%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    34%
  • Bookkeeper
    23%
  • Stenographer
    23%
  • Housekeeper
    23%

What Leighter family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Leighter

Passenger Lists

There are 179 immigration records available for the last name Leighter. 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 Leighter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 129 military records available for the last name Leighter. For the veterans among your Leighter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leighter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leighter family history

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What is the average Leighter lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2003, in the United States, Leighter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Leighter in 1966 was 67, and 58 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leighter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leighter 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 Leighter family tree

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