2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bookstaver
An occupational surname referring to one who rebound or repaired books.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Bookstaver. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bookstaver surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Bookstaver in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bookstaver, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bookstaver
The surname Bookstaver has its origins in the Netherlands, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch words "boek" meaning "book" and "staver" meaning "staff," suggesting a possible connection to scribes or individuals involved in the production or distribution of books.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Bookstaver can be traced back to the Dutch province of Overijssel, particularly in the city of Zwolle. Historical records from the late 1500s and early 1600s mention several individuals bearing this surname, indicating its presence in the region during that time period.
One notable historical figure with the surname Bookstaver was Jan Bookstaver, a renowned Dutch painter and engraver who lived from 1617 to 1679. His works, which often depicted landscapes and architectural scenes, are highly regarded and can be found in various museums and private collections across Europe.
Another individual of note was Pieter Bookstaver, born in 1623 in Amsterdam, who was a prominent merchant and trader. His business ventures took him across the Netherlands and beyond, establishing trade routes and contributing to the economic prosperity of the region.
In the late 17th century, records indicate that a family by the name of Bookstaver settled in the German city of Hamburg, where they established themselves as successful merchants and traders. One member of this family, Hans Bookstaver (1668-1742), made significant contributions to the city's mercantile community and left a lasting impact.
As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, such as Bookstaver, Bockstaver, and Bookstaffer. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local customs.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, individuals bearing the surname Bookstaver can be found in various parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. Notable figures from this period include the Dutch philosopher Willem Bookstaver (1782-1856) and the Belgian artist Emilie Bookstaver (1819-1892), known for her intricate landscape paintings.
While the surname Bookstaver has its roots in the Netherlands and has been present in various parts of Europe throughout history, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by generations of descendants and immigrants seeking new opportunities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bookstaver
Among Census respondents with the surname Bookstaver, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bookstaver bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bookstaver surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.4% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bookstaver
Bookstaver appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,579 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 51 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 11,579 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 51 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bookstaver surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #149,446 | -0.0% |
| Count | 110 | 110 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bookstaver bearers went from 110 to 110 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 51 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #149,446.
FAQ
Bookstaver surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bookstaver?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Bookstaver. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Bookstaver?
Bookstaver ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Bookstaver. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bookstaver.
Has Bookstaver become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bookstaver went from 110 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Bookstaver?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bookstaver, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bookstaver in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.4% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bookstaver appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.4%), Hispanic (1.8%), Two or More Races (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bookstaver (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bookstaver mean?
An occupational surname referring to one who rebound or repaired books. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bookstaver (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Bookstaver?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.