Lister Surname

17,141st
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 32,356 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
England
Highest density in:
Bermuda

Lister Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from an occupation. 'the litster,' a dyer. Both trade-name and surname, founded on the trade-name, existed in Yorkshire for centuries. To-day it is one of the largest represented surnames in the shire. 'Lystare, clothe dyynge (or lytaster of clothe dyynge, s.

Read More About This Surname

Lister Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England11,8571:4,699647
United States10,9651:33,0564,127
Australia2,8951:9,3251,395
Canada1,9831:18,5812,625
Scotland1,0051:5,327893
New Zealand9591:4,722761
South Africa5231:103,59012,522
Tanzania2551:207,61417,574
Wales2231:13,8771,523
Vanuatu1571:1,677485
Dominican Republic1391:75,0573,477
France1141:582,65577,962
Argentina1131:378,26029,259
Germany981:821,48459,964
Spain721:649,33429,324
Malaysia711:415,41221,545
Chile601:293,6088,514
Bermuda511:1,280202
Papua New Guinea501:163,07422,562
Thailand491:1,441,599197,614
Portugal471:221,6658,706
Cuba381:303,2295,351
Jersey371:2,681461
Russia341:4,238,913201,756
Norway321:160,69619,635
Indonesia311:4,266,103213,470
Peru311:1,025,29419,244
Kenya301:1,539,33035,755
Ireland291:162,3777,171
Guernsey291:2,222539
Sweden291:339,54323,803
Nigeria281:6,326,527151,186
Israel261:329,14027,831
Singapore261:211,83510,313
Zimbabwe201:771,91253,776
Isle of Man181:4,7681,008
India171:45,121,493474,784
Northern Ireland161:115,3156,804
Austria161:532,21549,801
Brazil161:13,379,646256,605
Philippines161:6,327,389184,366
Italy121:5,096,391108,968
Qatar121:196,50026,891
Hong Kong101:733,5483,685
Honduras91:979,6054,574
China71:195,331,65210,124
Switzerland71:1,173,27469,697
Gibraltar61:5,659991
Northern Mariana Islands61:9,097939
Malawi51:3,423,82224,042
Afghanistan41:8,038,29630,874
Bolivia41:2,654,1087,945
Iraq41:8,755,41423,373
Saudi Arabia41:7,713,95437,548
Denmark31:1,881,57267,227
Netherlands31:5,629,059132,535
Uganda31:13,013,093160,157
Belarus21:4,750,530139,516
Croatia21:2,114,30285,143
Egypt21:45,967,877132,655
Greece21:5,539,895129,142
Japan21:63,922,14662,827
Namibia21:1,204,70016,113
Solomon Islands21:290,01419,875
Sudan21:18,755,09814,167
United Arab Emirates21:4,581,13693,443
Venezuela21:15,102,03869,873
Angola11:26,989,21411,853
Bangladesh11:159,356,77326,077
Barbados11:287,4482,772
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
Colombia11:47,774,07244,230
Cyprus11:884,87613,055
Czechia11:10,633,469206,023
Ecuador11:15,905,84650,210
Estonia11:1,321,80440,178
Finland11:5,496,70284,025
Ghana11:27,020,69223,742
Hungary11:9,816,27773,288
Iceland11:380,09011,096
Iran11:76,782,524277,718
Jamaica11:2,869,94713,896
Jordan11:8,842,43726,010
Kyrgyzstan11:5,972,65499,197
Lithuania11:3,034,58847,401
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
Malta11:430,2723,380
Mexico11:124,126,205103,776
Mongolia11:2,825,28917,010
Pakistan11:178,643,885213,220
Panama11:3,912,25817,195
Poland11:38,008,749231,653
Sierra Leone11:7,089,6311,533
Slovakia11:5,336,450140,422
South Korea11:51,240,2568,015
Trinidad and Tobago11:1,363,97522,013
Turkey11:77,821,422191,047
Vietnam11:92,646,0548,382
Yemen11:26,425,29455,147
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland661:67,1195,026
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England7,9071:3,083436
Scotland6161:6,077880
Wales491:32,0081,749
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1,6271:30,8663,727

The alternate forms: Lišter (2) & Líster (1) are calculated separately.

Lister (32,529) may also be a first name.

Lister Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from an occupation. 'the litster,' a dyer. Both trade-name and surname, founded on the trade-name, existed in Yorkshire for centuries. To-day it is one of the largest represented surnames in the shire. 'Lystare, clothe dyynge (or lytaster of clothe dyynge, s. lytstar), tinctor': Promptorium Parvulorum 'Tinctor, a lyster': Ortus. 'A littester, tinctor, tinctrix': Herrtage's Catholicism Anglicum A chantry in the church of All Saints, York, was erected in the 15th century by 'Adam del Bank, littester' (History and Ant. of York). Not found in the Hundred Rolls, 1273.

Hugh le Litster, Nottinghamshire, ao Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Andrew le Litster, 1301. Writs of Parliament.

Joane Lyttestere, Close Rolls, 20 Richard II.

Cristiana Lyttester, lyster, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Robert le Lyster, 1397: Preston Guild Rolls.

Nycholas le Lystere. Calendarium Rotulorum Originalium.

Lower says the Norfolk rebellion in 1381 was called Lister's rebellion, because headed by John Lister, or Littester, a dyer of Norwich (Patronymica Britannica.); v. also Way's note tolystare in Promptorium Parvulorum.

1547. Married — Thomas Lyster and Mary Pugborne: St Dionis Backchurch.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

From ME. littester, a dyer. In Latin documents the name is rendered tinctor. Theodoric tinctor of Perth purchased a toft there c. 1200, and Arnald tinctor was one of the witnesses (LAC., p. 73). Richard tinctor was burgess of Kelso in 1237 (Kelso, 335), and Ralph tinctor who was custumar of Linlithgow in 1327 appears in 1329 as provost of the burgh (ER., I, p. 82,166). Pieres le litstere of the county of Berwyke and Aleyn le Littester of Edinburghshire rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 202,207). The seal of Aleyn bears a lion rampant, S' Alani tinctoris (ibid., p. 556). Stephen Tinctor was provost of Banff in 1340 (ER. I, p. 458). William tinctor was burgess of Dunfermline in 1316 (RD.,p. 236), and Galfridus Lyttistar was chaplain of the chapel of S. Margaret in the Castle of Edinburgh in 1390 (RMS., I, 826; CDE., p. 16). John Litstar, professor of canon law in the newly founded University of St. Andrews, 1410 (Tytler, History of Scotland, II, p. 43). Malcolm Lytstare possessed a tenement in Glasgow in 1428 (LCD., p. 244), and Symon Littystar had a tenement in Dundee in 1449 (REB., I, p. 126). John Litstar was assizar in Aberdeen in 1463 (CRA., p. 26), James Litstar was sergeant of the burgh of Glasgow in 1468 (LCD., p. 182,184), Robert Litstar or Lytstar appears as citizen of Brechin in 1472 and 1493 (REB., II, p. 138,276), Vincent Tinctor was prior of the preaching friars of Stirling in 1521 (Camhus., 92). John Littstar was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1442 and another John Litstar in 1452 (NSCM., I, p. 7, 13), Sir William Litstar, priest and notary public at Stirling in 1555 (Poltalloch Writs, p. 142), Mathew Litstare, reidare at Tingwall, 1574 (RMR.), George Littister is recorded in Spittelmylne in 1580 (Soltre, p. 144), and Patrick Litster in Tinwald was examined for the Test in 1685 (RPC., 3. ser. XI, p. 434). Letister 1365, Lutster c. 1431. Pension to Maigarct Letstare, 1731 (Guildry, p. 140).

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(Anglo-Scand.) Dyer [Middle English lyster(e, litster(e, litester(e; Middle English lit, dye, colour-Old Norse lit-r, hue, colour + the (orig. fem.)agent. suff. -ster] Hugh le Lyster.—Inq. ad quod damn., A.D. 1322.

Robert le Litster.—Close Rolls, A.D. 1322.

No mader, welde, or wood [woad] no litestere Ne knew: the flees was of his former hewe.—Chaucer, Ætas Prima, 17-18.

‘John the Litster, a dyer of Norwich, headed a mass of peasants.’— Green, Hist. English People, p. 490.

(occasionally) (Anglo-French-Latin) Lector, Preacher [Middle English Old French listre] On lymitours [v. Limiter] and listres.— Piers Plowman, 2747.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

This name in Ireland has four distinct origins: (1) an abbreviation of MacAllester, (2) in Ulster the Scottish Mac an Leastair, alias Fletcher, (3) an occasional synonym of St. Leger in Co. Kilkenny, (4) the English Lester (dyer)

A Guide to Irish Names (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

“Reader” in Old English.

South African Surnames (1965) by Eric Rosenthal

(English, German) One who dyed cloth; one who came from Liste, in Germany.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

1. Anglo-Saxon listre, a person who read some portions of the church service.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Lister: engaged in one part of clothweaving.

Family Names And Their Story (1913) by Sabine Baring-Gould

User-submitted Reference

German: occupational name for a cobbler; from Middle High German leist + the agent suffix -er.

- emilyleister99

Lister Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Lister Come From? nationality or country of origin

The last name Lister (Georgian: ლისტერ, Russian: Листер) has its highest incidence in England. It may be found as a variant: Lišter or Líster. Click here for other possible spellings of this last name.

How Common Is The Last Name Lister? popularity and diffusion

The surname Lister is the 17,141st most frequently held last name in the world, held by approximately 1 in 225,230 people. The last name is primarily found in Europe, where 42 percent of Lister live; 41 percent live in Northern Europe and 41 percent live in British Isles. It is also the 26,169th most frequently occurring first name throughout the world, held by 32,529 people.

The surname is most numerous in England, where it is carried by 11,857 people, or 1 in 4,699. In England Lister is primarily found in: West Yorkshire, where 18 percent reside, Greater London, where 7 percent reside and South Yorkshire, where 7 percent reside. Excluding England it is found in 98 countries. It is also found in The United States, where 34 percent reside and Australia, where 9 percent reside.

Lister Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The frequency of Lister has changed over time. In England the number of people bearing the Lister last name expanded 150 percent between 1881 and 2014; in The United States it expanded 674 percent between 1880 and 2014; in Scotland it expanded 163 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Wales it expanded 455 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it decreased 56 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Lister Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those bearing the last name is predominantly Presbyterian (52%) in Ireland and Muslim (50%) in Kenya.

In The United States those holding the Lister surname are 18.92% more likely to be registered with the Republican Party than The US average, with 65.69% being registered with the party.

The amount Lister earn in different countries varies greatly. In Norway they earn 6.42% less than the national average, earning 323,858 kr per year; in Peru they earn 47.7% more than the national average, earning S/. 28,631 per year; in South Africa they earn 35.54% more than the national average, earning R 322,104 per year; in United States they earn 0.95% more than the national average, earning $43,558 USD per year and in Canada they earn 8.06% more than the national average, earning $53,685 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Lišter942/
Líster941/
Leister927,681/
Lidster921,989/
Litster921,337/
Laister92984/
Lijster92210/
Liester92202/
Hlister9257/
Luister9223/
Lisæter925/
Lishter923/
Lioster922/
Llister921/
Loister921/
Listere921/
Listher921/
Listter921/
Liszter921/
Liste912,071/
Liter91781/
Leistert8632/
Leiszter8631/
Leijster865/
Laistter862/
Leiseter861/
Gliester861/
Leisterh861/
Liesther861/
Leidster860/
Littster860/
Leisster860/
Lester8380,638/
Luster839,768/
Leiter836,712/
Lyster833,057/
Litter831,097/
Laiter83564/
Listeš83553/
Leiste83400/
Lihter83127/
Lieste83116/
Listes8376/
Listre8372/
Loiter8360/
Listte8356/
Listea8356/
Läster8337/
Lither8326/
Lieter8326/
Litier8320/
Listed838/
Laiste838/
Litger836/
Loiste834/
Luiste834/
Lizter833/
Lidter832/
Litere832/
Listet832/
Lishte831/
Lioter831/
Lijter831/
Listie830/
Luiter830/
Lite803,268/
Listerova801/
Lichter774,482/
Lisztes77520/
Luyster77472/
Leither77371/
Listoir77252/
Leitert77246/
Litteer77171/
Lesther7793/
Hlistei7791/
Ledster7753/
Leaster7753/
Littier7748/
Littger7735/
Littere7734/
Lydster7733/
Leisted7733/
Leitter7730/
Leyster7728/
Lesteur7724/
Leester7724/
Lesster7722/
Loyster7721/
Laitier7719/
Lyuster7712/
Leitier7712/
Lusæter7712/
Lestter7710/
Lestier779/
Lestere779/
Listeid774/
Lesterr773/
Lexster773/
Listech773/
Letster772/
Listeed772/
Littert772/
Llester772/
Lusster772/
Leitere772/
Listedt772/
Hleiter772/
Layster771/
Lusteer771/
Lusther771/
Loisteu771/
Litther771/
Listead771/
Listedd771/
Listedp771/
Liether771/
Lesteer771/
Leuster771/
Leistie771/
Leitger771/
Glieter771/
Lithere771/
Lizterz771/
Luester771/
Luistre771/
Leihter771/
Laijter771/
Lesterp771/
Lestert771/
Laitere771/
Lesterd771/
Lesterz771/
Hlester771/
Luisete771/
Lysther771/
Laitter770/
Lidstir770/
Leistes770/
Leshter770/
Laither770/
Luither770/
Luitter770/
Lustier770/
Hlisterová753/
Hlisterova751/
Laisterova751/
Leite73514,653/
Lista7311,057/
Leste731,774/
Laite73782/
Lyter73726/
Listi73703/
Lites73665/
Leter73659/
Liete73314/
Litte73251/
Litre73239/
Litei73216/
Litet73190/
Løite73141/
Litie73118/
Listy73115/
Loite7397/
Lithe7392/
Liote7385/
Litep7383/
Lited7368/
Luite7367/
Lyste7365/
Litee7340/
Litir7328/
Litea7323/
Liteu7323/
Litez7311/
Lihte7310/
Litge737/
Litey735/
Léste731/
Liteh731/
Líter731/
Leichter711,524/
Laithier71928/
Lichtert71251/
Literová71249/
Laichter7170/
Lidstedt7157/
Laitstep7147/
Literova7119/
Leistedt7115/
Laithert7112/
Luisette715/
Leithert715/
Litstedt715/
Leittert712/
Litchter712/
Luystier712/
Luystter711/
Lesstier711/
Leesther711/
Loisette711/
Listoire711/
Loittier711/
Leithier711/
L'Estere711/
L'Lester711/
Loichter711/
Luesther710/
Llichter710/
Leasteir710/
Leites678,410/
Lichte672,305/
Letter671,322/
Lajter67545/
Leithe67538/
Layter67480/
Lether67366/
Liette67303/
Leitte67256/
Listyo67239/
Littre67216/
Leuter67184/
Laitei67173/
Leisti67167/
Hlista67167/
Letier67160/
Luites67153/
Littee67141/
Leijte67141/
Leyter67140/
Loitey67125/
Listio67118/
Leteur67113/
Lestes6798/
Lestre6786/
Lehter6769/
Laitre6768/
Letist6762/
Listis6757/
Liotte6751/
Leitez6750/
Lexter6749/
Leitet6749/
Leidstedt6746/
Litterová6742/
Liesty6733/
Lejter6732/
Llaite6732/
Letere6731/
Lleite6730/
Lestir6729/
Lytter6727/
Loyter6727/
Littie6726/
Littge6725/
Liszta6725/
Leater6724/
Littes6724/
Luitje6722/
Leiterová6721/
Lested6721/
Laitte6718/
Luisti6718/
Laisti6715/
Lithie6713/
Leeter6713/
Liesta6713/
Laitey6713/
Litesh6712/
Listha6712/
Lesteh6712/
Leteer6711/
Lichtherz6710/
Ljøsterød6710/
Lithep6710/
Lestie679/
Littée679/
Laites678/
Ledter678/
Leitie676/
Leitre675/
Luitte675/
Leeste675/
Luzter674/
Lithey674/
Laiteh674/
Liștea674/
Lihtei673/
Laidte673/
Laithe673/
Laitie673/
Loitte673/
Liothe673/
Lysterova673/
Lyther672/
Litterova672/
Loisty672/
Leesteere672/
Hleite672/
Leiteh672/
Luitey672/
Liethe672/
Luisty672/
Laitez672/
Lestet672/
Lihterova672/
Lehste672/
Loisti672/
Liştea671/
Lesterova671/
Lihtey671/
Lyshte671/
Luited671/
Loithe671/
Listys671/
Liteet671/
Lestei671/
Lesthe671/
Lestte671/
Letear671/
Laited671/
Laaite671/
Hleter671/
Leista671/
Leitee671/
Listoa671/
Litehe671/
Loista671/
Lyaite671/
Luidstedt671/
Luitet671/
Luitre671/
Leitei671/
Leiteirre671/
Laitee671/
Laitet671/
Lietei671/
Lestee671/
Lestey671/
Lhistoire671/
Lhuittier671/
Leitej671/
Lleste671/
Leitje671/
Littea671/
Laitea671/
Leitey671/
Leichther671/
Hlyter671/
Liaaisted670/
Littey670/
Leitge670/
Lithee670/
Leitheart670/
Letger670/
Lustir670/
Litteu670/
Lithte670/
Littei670/
Leisty670/

Lister Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Lister in the Georgian language
ლისტერlister-
Lister in the Russian language
Листерlister-

Search for Another Surname

Lister Reference & Research

Lester DNA Website - A web page dedicated to the genetic research of those who bear the surname and its variants.

Lester FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

The name statistics are still in development, sign up for information on more maps and data

By signing up to the mailing list you will only receive emails specifically about name reference on Forebears and your information will not be distributed to 3rd parties.

Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Lister
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis