The East surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 12,684 people carried this name — #2,843 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 23,300 people counted. That is up 3% from 12,357 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the East surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the east’.

An early record he cites: Robert del Est, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers East and Easte.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 262 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

35 people named East is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 35

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

East was found among the farmers of 4 counties.

It was most frequent in Buckinghamshire: 24 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 417. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Buckinghamshire 24
Oxfordshire 20
Hertfordshire 18
Lincolnshire 17

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

30 families named East, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 179 people lived in those households, 6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

South Carolina 12
Virginia 7
North Carolina 4
Pennsylvania 3
Massachusetts 2
Rhode Island 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 238 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

East in American newspapers,
1908–1911.

Newspaper page from Hattiesburg Daily News carrying the name East
Hattiesburg Daily News 1908-03-29
Newspaper page from Times-promoter carrying the name East
Times-promoter 1908-08-07
Newspaper page from The Daily Missoulian carrying the name East
The Daily Missoulian 1911-05-26

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,538 pages in all carry the name.

In print

East in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

75,060 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss East. The most, 11,700, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 2.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 18,773
Queensland 16,706
Victoria 15,352
South Australia 9,627
Western Australia 7,222
Tasmania 6,041
ACT (Canberra) 883
Northern Territory 290

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss East.

Who carried it

People named East,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Augusta Frances Clayton East
    Augusta Frances Clayton East d. 1903
  • Augusta Frances Clayton East
    Augusta Frances Clayton East d. 1903
  • Eleanor Mary Jolliffe d. 1838
  • William East d. 1726
  • Emma Jane Lucretia Smith d. 1872
  • Eleanor Theresa Fraser d. 1924

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named East,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States887 records

887 records of the East name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 455
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 173
  • Other U.S. records 259
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Melvin Douglas East

    Born 1948; from Colfax, Washington. U.S. Army, radio operator; killed in action 1967 in Phuoc Tuy, South Vietnam. Buried at Florence National Cemetery, South Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Francis M. East

    Born 1917 in Maryland. Enlisted 1942 at Baltimore; salesperson from Baltimore County. Veteran; died 1953, buried at Baltimore National Cemetery, Maryland.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizabeth East

    Arrived at New York in 1875 aboard the Elysia from Glasgow, aged 16; servant. From England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 887 records for East in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia872 records

872 records of the East name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 330
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 252
  • Other Australian records 290
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William East

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Duchess of Northumberland, sailing from Sheerness in 1842. Native of Fordham, Cambridgeshire. Married 1845 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 25.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record James East

    Died 1898 in Longford, Tasmania, aged 73. Will registered in Tasmania in 1898.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jane Eliza East

    Born 1865 in New Norfolk, Tasmania. Married 1888 in New Norfolk, Tasmania, aged 23.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 872 records for East in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada51 records

51 records of the East name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 13
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 11
  • Other Canadian records 27
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thursa East

    Came to Ontario in 1877 aboard the Caspian, landing at Portland, bound for White's Station, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Charles Frederick East

    Buried in 1971 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 80.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Harry Francis East

    Died 1960 in Windsor, Hants, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 51 records for East in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom48 records

48 records of the East name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 32
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 15
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth East

    Buried in 1852 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 66.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Henry East

    Will proved in 1941; of Milford Haven.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. J. East

    Lance Corporal, Devonshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 48 records for East in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand31 records

31 records of the East name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 29
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Isabel Annie East

    Died 1959, aged 36; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles East

    Died 1927, aged 65; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Reginald East

    Died 1949, aged 66; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 31 records for East in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands10 records

10 records of the East name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 6
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Albert East

    Married in 1920 in Kampen; engine driver. Died 1934 in Zwolle, aged 41; hotel keeper.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Ronald Percij East

    Born 1921 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Wouter East

    In the population register of Zuidlaren - Dennenoord; born 1849.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for East in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to East.

When the index is not enough

This page says where East is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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