Find out how popular the last name Anstey is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Anstey.

Anstey, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Anstey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Anstey in America

Anstey is the 36788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Anstey surname appeared 607 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Anstey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Anstey to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Anstey

The surname Anstey originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words "anstigan" meaning "a path" and "ieg" meaning "island." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a path or causeway leading to an island or marshy area.

The earliest known records of the name date back to the 13th century. The Anstey family was first established in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, but later branched out to other parts of England, including Devon, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the name is recorded as "Anstie." Other early spellings include Anstye, Anstee, and Anstie. The varied spellings reflect the lack of standardized spelling rules in earlier times.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Anstey was John Anstey, who was born around 1460 in Cambridgeshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Cambridge in 1491.

Another notable figure was Christopher Anstey (1724-1805), an English poet and writer best known for his satirical work "The New Bath Guide." He was born in Cambridgeshire and lived in Bath, England.

In the 17th century, the Anstey family established themselves in Devon, where they owned estates and properties. One prominent member was John Anstey (1609-1693), who served as a Member of Parliament for Launceston in 1660.

The Anstey name is also associated with several place names in England, such as Anstey in Hertfordshire and Anstey in Wiltshire. These places likely derived their names from the Anstey family who settled there or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the Anstey surname include:

1. Thomas Anstey (1816-1873), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London.
2. Henry Anstey (1817-1894), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Youghal in Ireland.
3. Martin Anstey (1924-2005), a British actor and director known for his work in television and theater.
4. Roger Anstey (born 1939), a British historian and academic who specialized in the study of the Atlantic slave trade.
5. Nigel Anstey (born 1967), a former professional cricketer who played for Somerset County Cricket Club in England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Anstey

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Anstey.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Anstey was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Anstey has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Anstey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Anstey, please contact us.

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