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

Bester, 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 Bester surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bester in America

Bester is the 15147th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bester surname appeared 1,947 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bester.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bester 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 Bester

The surname BESTER originated in the Netherlands and dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "bester," which means "best" or "excellent." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was considered the best at a particular skill or trade.

In the early 16th century, the name BESTER appeared in various Dutch records and documents, including church registers and municipal archives. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the baptismal records of the city of Leiden, where a child named Pieter Bester was baptized in 1578.

BESTER was also a common surname in the Dutch province of Friesland, particularly in the areas around the cities of Leeuwarden and Franeker. In the late 16th century, a wealthy merchant named Dirck Bester was recorded as owning several properties and businesses in the city of Leeuwarden.

The name BESTER can be traced back to various place names in the Netherlands, such as Bestervelds and Besterveld, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time. Additionally, the name was sometimes spelled as "Besterr" or "Bestere" in older records.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname BESTER. One notable figure was Johannes Bester (1602-1672), a Dutch mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Another prominent individual was Pieter Bester (1723-1802), a Dutch naval officer who served in the Dutch East India Company and played a crucial role in the defense of the Cape Colony (modern-day South Africa) during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, a Dutch painter named Johannes Bester (1837-1919) gained recognition for his landscape paintings and portraits, many of which are now housed in museums across the Netherlands.

The name BESTER also appeared in other parts of Europe, such as Germany, where a German theologian named Johann Bester (1624-1688) was known for his works on Protestant theology and biblical exegesis.

In the 20th century, a South African writer and activist named Riana Bester (1927-2013) gained recognition for her literary works and her involvement in the anti-apartheid movement.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the surname BESTER, illustrating its rich history and diverse geographical spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bester

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

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

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

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