The Kester surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,237 people carried this name — #4,870 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 40,800 people counted. That is up 11% from 6,543 in 2000.

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In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 42 people named Kester.

1 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 10 départements, most often Haut-Rhin.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 1
Haut-Rhin 8
Meurthe-et-Moselle 6
Bas-Rhin 6
Paris 6
Vosges 4
Saône-et-Loire 4
Moselle 4
Rhône 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

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

Each family is counted by its head. About 104 people lived in those households, 5.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 6 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

Pennsylvania 9
Virginia 9
North Carolina 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. 248 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Kester in American newspapers,
1920.

Newspaper page from Great Falls Daily Tribune carrying the name Kester
Great Falls Daily Tribune 1920-11-07
Newspaper page from Great Falls Daily Tribune carrying the name Kester
Great Falls Daily Tribune 1920-07-21
Newspaper page from Great Falls Daily Tribune carrying the name Kester
Great Falls Daily Tribune 1920-11-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 23,729 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Kester in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1980s.

855 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Kester. The most, 155, date from the 1920s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 3.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 402
New South Wales 282
Victoria 103
Queensland 30
Western Australia 25
Tasmania 12
ACT (Canberra) 1

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

Who carried it

People named Kester,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Vaughan Kester
    Vaughan Kester 1869–1911 · writer
  • Paul Kester
    Paul Kester 1870–1933 · playwright
  • Philipp Kester 1873–1958 · photographer
  • Roy B. Kester 1882–1965 · university teacher
  • Howard Kester 1904–1977 · preacher
  • Wayne Otho Kester 1906–1999

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 Kester,
in the records of 7 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 States572 records

572 records of the Kester name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 241
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 117
  • Other U.S. records 214
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Norman H. Kester

    Born 1907 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1941 at Los Angeles, California; electrician. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1956, buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1846 aboard the Newton from Hamburg, aged 37; farmer. From Hamburg, Germany; bound for Buffalo.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Joseph Kester

    Born 1950; from Warren, Ohio. U.S. Army, infantryman; died of wounds 1969 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 572 records for Kester in the United States.

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

Netherlands684 records

684 records of the Kester name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 538
  • Dutch population registers 110
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 36
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Nicolaas Kester

    Married in 1880 in Waddinxveen. Died 1926 in Naaldwijk, aged 74.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Midden-Holland (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Historisch Archief Westland (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Gregorius Petrus Kester

    Born 1896 in Naaldwijk. Married in 1925 in 's-Gravenzande.

    Open Archives, Historisch Archief Westland (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Theodorus Franciscus Kester

    Born 1863 in Beek. Died 1903 in Beek, aged 40; labourer.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 684 records for Kester 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).

Germany26 records

26 records of the Kester name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Kester

    From Darmstadt. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 6 February 1915; then reported missing in the list of 27 July 1916; then reported taken prisoner in the list of 10 November 1916 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 221).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Philipp Kester

    From Offenbach a. M. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 7 September 1916 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 88).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 26 records for Kester in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France23 records

23 records of the Kester name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Cecile Kester

    Born 1892 in Charenton-le-Pont (Paris); died 1980 in Metz (Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Louis Kester

    Born 1915 in Pexonne; died 1987 in Pexonne (Meurthe-et-Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie Germaine Kester

    Born 1905 in Pont-à-Mousson (Meurthe-et-Moselle); died 1996 in Le Plessis-Bouchard (Val-d'Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 23 records for Kester in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Australia13 records

13 records of the Kester name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 8
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 4
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Kester

    Former contractor of Whittlesea, Victoria; died 1958.

    Public Record Office Victoria (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 Jane Kester

    Arrived in Victoria in 1883 aboard the Iberia, aged 41.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record E. W. Kester

    Australian Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

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

Showing 3 of 13 records for Kester in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Canada9 records

9 records of the Kester name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 3
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Kathryn Minnion Kester

    Buried in 1970 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 81.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Martha Kester

    Died 1980; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. 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 Douglas John Kester

    Died in service in 1943.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 9 records for Kester 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 Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. 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).

United Kingdom2 records

2 records of the Kester name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. Kester

    Rifle Brigade. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Kester

    Gunner, Royal Horse Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Kester.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Kester 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.

See the Kester volume
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