The Lister surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,350 people carried this name — #4,250 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 35,300 people counted. That is up 6% from 7,891 in 2000.

See Lister on the map Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Lister surname

A surname originating as an occupation for a textile dyer.

English occupational surname from the archaic noun litster (“dyer”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Lister» (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 explains it as ‘the litster’.

An early record he cites: Hugh le Litster, Nottinghamshire, 1291–92 (20 Edward I) — Placita de Quo Warranto.

His entry covers Lister, Litster and Lyster.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 488 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 121 people named Lister live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

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

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 78
Corrientes 22
Misiones 21

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 29 people named Lister.

12 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 4 départements, most often Oise.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 12
Oise 10
Tarn 4
Alpes-Maritimes 2
Maine-et-Loire 1

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

In national population registers

54 people named Lister are counted in Sweden and Slovenia.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Slovenia counts its residents on 1 January 2026.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 31
Slovenia (2026) 23

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) · source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS), SiStat tables 05X1015S–05X1018S, family names of the population, 1 January 2026 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Lister was found among the farmers of 5 counties.

It was most frequent in Cambridgeshire: 29 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 345. 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

Cambridgeshire 29
Yorkshire, West Riding 23
Lincolnshire 13
Norfolk 9
Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 9

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 Scotland’s registers today

Lister was recorded 25 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 962nd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 30. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Lister in American newspapers,
1903–1909.

Newspaper page from New-york Tribune carrying the name Lister
New-york Tribune 1909-04-11
Newspaper page from The Washington Times carrying the name Lister
The Washington Times 1906-08-12
Newspaper page from The Western News carrying the name Lister
The Western News 1903-01-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 3,093 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Lister in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2010s.

43,932 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Lister. The most, 9,704, date from the 1920s. 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 Queensland, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 13,243
Victoria 12,146
Queensland 11,863
South Australia 3,346
Western Australia 1,946
Tasmania 1,080
ACT (Canberra) 206
Northern Territory 26

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

Who carried it

People named Lister,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Lister d. 1616 · politician
  • Matthew Dymoke Lister d. 1772
  • Elizabeth Lister d. 1809
  • Katharine Lister d. 1874
  • Anthony Lister d. 1745
  • Thomas Lister d. 1745

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Lister,
in the records of 9 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 States905 records

905 records of the Lister name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 256
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 232
  • Other U.S. records 417
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Kenneth Lister

    Born 1908 in Oregon. Enlisted 1940 at Portland; driver from Multnomah County. U.S. Army veteran; died 1975, 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 United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Bryson E. Lister

    Born 1920 in South Carolina. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jackson Columbia; driver. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Heritage Memorial Park, Roebuck, South Carolina.

    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 Agnes Lister

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Umbria from Liverpool, aged 20; dressmaker. From Lisbum, Finland, Russia; bound for Ohio.

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

Showing 3 of 905 records for Lister in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia904 records

904 records of the Lister name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 561
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 142
  • Other Australian records 201
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Lister

    Died 1882 in Ringarooma, Tasmania, aged 50. Will registered in Tasmania in 1882.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 John Lister

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Earl Grey, arriving 1838; ticket of leave 1844.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alison Lister

    Arrived in Queensland in 1883 aboard the Duke of Devonshire, aged 15.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 904 records for Lister in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (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); 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).

United Kingdom85 records

85 records of the Lister name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 55
  • Stirling Council burial records 20
  • Other British records 10
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Charles Alfred Lister

    Born 1887 at October. Named in the roll of honour of Landward Parishes.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Christina Lister

    Buried in 1951 at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 87.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Lister

    Will proved in 1919; of Blackpool, Lancaster.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 85 records for Lister in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). 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); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada77 records

77 records of the Lister name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 26
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 18
  • Other Canadian records 33
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record W.h Lister

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Peruvian, landing at Halifax, bound for Forrest, 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 Lenwood Albert Lister

    Buried in 1969 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 68.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gordon Lister

    Died 1930 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 77 records for Lister in Canada.

Counts: 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. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · 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).

New Zealand20 records

20 records of the Lister name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 17
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helen Lister

    Died 1940, aged 68; buried at Linwood 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 Leslie Stuart Lister

    Died 2001, aged 75; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Edgar Lister

    Died 1930, aged 84; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 20 records for Lister 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).

Netherlands12 records

12 records of the Lister name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 5
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  • Dutch population registers 3
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Doreen Lister

    Died 1957 in Scheemda, aged 34.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Anne Catherine Lister

    Died 1802 in Venlo, aged 85.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Lister

    Married in 1703 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Breda (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Lister in the Netherlands.

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

Germany12 records

12 records of the Lister 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 Emil Lister

    Born 1894; from Recklinghausen. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 30 December 1916.

    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 Friedrich Lister

    From Traben-Trarbach, Zell. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 19 March 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 28).

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

    From Speckborn, Recklinghausen. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 18 January 1919 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 12).

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

Showing 3 of 12 records for Lister 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).

Norway6 records

6 records of the Lister name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Nils Emanuel Lister

    Census of 1910: intet navn, Aker; pharmacist, born 1857 in Farsund.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Maria Birgitte Lister

    Census of 1910: intet navn, Aker; born 1877 in Loppen Finnmarken.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Lister in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France2 records

2 records of the Lister 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 Rolland Denis Andre Lister

    Born 1923 in Castres (Tarn); died 1993 in Thonon-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Lister 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Lister.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Lister 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 Lister volume
Scroll to Top