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

Bastian, 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 Bastian surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bastian in America

Bastian is the 5034th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bastian surname appeared 6,967 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bastian.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bastian 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 Bastian

The surname BASTIAN is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the given name Sebastianus, which was the Latin form of the Greek name Sebastianos, meaning "venerable" or "revered."

In its earliest form, the surname was likely spelled as Bastiaans or Bastiaens in German-speaking regions. These variations reflect the phonetic pronunciations of the name in different dialects. Over time, the spelling evolved to the more standardized form of BASTIAN.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Bavarian town of Landshut, where a certain Bastian von Landshut was mentioned in a historical document from the 14th century. This suggests that the name had already gained prominence in parts of southern Germany during that era.

During the Renaissance period, the name BASTIAN appeared in various literary works and records throughout German-speaking regions. Notable figures bearing this surname include the German Renaissance artist Hans Bastian (c. 1500-1560), known for his woodcuts and engravings.

As the surname spread across Europe, it took on different spellings and variations in different languages. In France, for example, it was often rendered as Bastien or Bastiaan. One of the earliest known bearers of the name in France was Jean Bastien (c. 1520-1590), a French Huguenot and Protestant reformer.

In the Netherlands, the BASTIAN surname can be traced back to the 16th century, with records showing individuals such as Pieter Bastiaens (c. 1550-1620), a Dutch painter and etcher from Antwerp. The Dutch spelling Bastiaens remained common until the 19th century when it gradually evolved to the more modern form of BASTIAN.

Other notable figures throughout history who bore the BASTIAN surname include the German Renaissance humanist Hieronymus Bastian (c. 1480-1545), the Dutch Golden Age painter Bastian Jacobsz (c. 1580-1640), and the German composer and organist Johann Gottfried Bastian (1719-1789).

Overall, the surname BASTIAN has a rich history spanning several centuries and countries, with its origins firmly rooted in the Germanic regions of Europe. Its evolution and adoption across different cultures reflect the widespread influence and migration patterns of those bearing this distinguished name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bastian

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

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 Bastian 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 Bastian 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 Bastian was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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