The Easter surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 13,036 people carried this name — #2,769 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 22,600 people counted. That is up 9% from 11,941 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Easter surname

The English word is cognate with German Low German Oostern (“Easter”), Old High German ōstarūn (modern German Ostern) and is possibly a doublet of east. Despite a modern folk etymology, not related to Ishtar.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Easter» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

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

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 first U.S. census, 1790

20 families named Easter, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 131 people lived in those households, 6.6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. 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

New York 4
Pennsylvania 4
North Carolina 4
Virginia 3
Maine 2
Massachusetts 1
Maryland 1
South Carolina 1

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

Easter in American newspapers,
1907–1927.

Newspaper page from The Commonwealth carrying the name Easter
The Commonwealth 1907-06-27
Newspaper page from The Montgomery Advertiser carrying the name Easter
The Montgomery Advertiser 1927-07-24
Newspaper page from The Lexington Intelligencer carrying the name Easter
The Lexington Intelligencer 1913-11-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 959 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Easter in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

6,998 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Easter. The most, 2,089, date from the 1940s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 3,227
Victoria 983
Queensland 941
South Australia 873
Western Australia 456
Tasmania 311
ACT (Canberra) 153
Northern Territory 2

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

Who carried it

People named Easter,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Luke Easter
    Luke Easter 1915–1979 · baseball player
  • George W. Easter d. 1958
  • Theophilus Easter 1832–1913 · photographer
  • Marian T. Easter 1902–1983
  • Jack Easter 1907–1979 · politician
  • Rose Aileen Hamilton 1908–

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 Easter,
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 States610 records

610 records of the Easter name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 345
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 146
  • Other U.S. records 119
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Tommie L. Easter

    Born 1923 in Alabama. Enlisted 1943 at Fort Benning, Georgia; farmer from Lauderdale County, Mississippi. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Mount Zion Cemetery, Cuba, Alabama.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Denny Ray Easter

    Born 1950; from Brownsville, Pennsylvania. U.S. Army, infantryman; died of wounds 1971 in Quang Tin, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Edward Easter

    Arrived at New York in 1871 aboard the Paraguay from London, aged 38; bricklayer. From England; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 610 records for Easter 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) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia66 records

66 records of the Easter name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 42
  • Tasmanian Names Index 14
  • Other Australian records 10
  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 Easter

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lady Montagu, sailing from Plymouth in 1852. Native of Great Bircham, Norfolk.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mina Easter

    Arrived in Queensland in 1881 aboard the Chyebassa, aged 20.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Herbert Easter

    Retired of Boronia, Victoria; died 1984.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 66 records for Easter in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

United Kingdom12 records

12 records of the Easter name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 9
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Easter

    Buried in 1828 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 49.

    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 Mary Elizabeth Easter

    Will proved in 1929; of York.

    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 J. Easter

    Bedfordshire 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 12 records for Easter in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. 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).

Canada7 records

7 records of the Easter name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 2
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 2
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record George Ralph Easter

    Buried in 1989 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 83.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record William John Easter

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Jessie Gertrude Easter

    Born 1892 in Springhill, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 7 records for Easter in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Easter name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Easter

    Died 1917, aged 80; buried at Sydenham 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 John Langford Easter

    Buried in 1962 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 81.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ernest James Easter

    Died 1997, aged 72; buried at Avonhead Memorial Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Easter in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel 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).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Easter name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record George Easter

    Died 1907 in 's-Gravenzande, aged 34.

    Open Archives, Historisch Archief Westland (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Easter.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Easter 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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