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

Castor, 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 Castor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Castor in America

Castor is the 5722nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Castor surname appeared 6,063 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 Castor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Castor 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 Castor

The surname Castor is of French origin, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "castor," which means "beaver." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked with beaver pelts or lived near a beaver dam.

The earliest recorded instances of the Castor surname can be found in French medieval records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is Jehan Castor, a merchant from Rouen mentioned in a document dated 1287. The name also appears in various forms, such as Lecastor and Lecasto, in records from Normandy and Picardy during this period.

In England, the Castor surname is believed to have been introduced by French Huguenot immigrants fleeing religious persecution in the 16th and 17th centuries. The name can be found in parish records from this time, particularly in areas with significant Huguenot settlements, such as London and Canterbury.

The Domesday Book, the comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Castor surname. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the name's development, such as Cossington (from the Old English "castor-tun," meaning "beaver town") and Castletown (from the Old English "castel-tun," meaning "castle town").

Notable individuals with the Castor surname throughout history include:

1. Jacques Castor (1563-1641), a French Protestant theologian and author from Normandy.
2. Marie Castor (1678-1742), a French courtier and mistress of King Louis XV.
3. John Castor (1775-1848), an English businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire.
4. Henri Castor (1818-1892), a French painter and illustrator known for his depictions of rural life.
5. Marie-Thérèse Castor (1902-1981), a French author and journalist who wrote extensively about the French Resistance during World War II.

While the Castor surname has its origins in France, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including England, Canada, and the United States, through immigration and migration patterns over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Castor

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

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

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

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