History of your Surname
Get access to Jester family records.Start a free trial

Jester Family History

Jester Name Meaning

English (Warwickshire): occupational name for a jester from Middle English gester ‘mimic buffoon; professional reciter of romances’. German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gastharo composed of the elements gast ‘guest foreigner’ earlier ‘foreign warrior’ + heri ‘army’.

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


Similar surnames: Bester, Pester, Tester, Jenner, Wester, Jetter, Vester, Mester

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Jester family from?

You can see how Jester families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Jester family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Jester families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 3 Jester families living in British Columbia. This was about 25% of all the recorded Jester's in Canada. British Columbia and 2 other provinces had the highest population of Jester families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Jester surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Jester ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Jester. 20% of Jester men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Jester women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Jester were Salesman and Cook. .

View Census Data for Jester | 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
    20%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Waterman
    5%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Waitress
    7%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Cook
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Jester family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Jester. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Jester census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Jester

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Jester military records

You've only scratched the surface of Jester family history

Discover More

What is the average Jester lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Jester life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Jester in 1942 was 32, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Jester

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Jester family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Jester last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial