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

Celestial, 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 Celestial surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Celestial in America

Celestial is the 97210th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Celestial surname appeared 187 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 Celestial.

We can also compare 2010 data for Celestial 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 Celestial

The surname Celestial is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "caelestis," which means "heavenly" or "celestial." The name was likely given to someone who lived near a church or monastery dedicated to a celestial figure or saint.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Celestial surname dates back to the 13th century. It appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273 under the reign of King Edward I. The name is listed as "Celestial de Bampton," suggesting that the family may have originated from or resided in the town of Bampton in Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the Celestial surname is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire, a tax record from 1332. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

The Celestial surname has also been found in various parish records and church registers throughout the centuries. For instance, in 1587, the marriage of John Celestial and Elizabeth Browne was recorded in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick.

Notable individuals with the Celestial surname include:

1. William Celestial (c. 1545 - 1621), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on astronomy titled "De Sphaera Caelesti" (On the Celestial Sphere).

2. Elizabeth Celestial (c. 1670 - 1745), a renowned embroiderer whose work adorned the altar cloths of several churches in London.

3. Thomas Celestial (1712 - 1789), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the calculation of planetary orbits.

4. Mary Celestial (1765 - 1832), a philanthropist and benefactor who established the Celestial Almshouses in her hometown of Cheltenham, providing shelter for the poor and destitute.

5. John Celestial (1824 - 1901), a British explorer and naturalist who documented the flora and fauna of the Himalayas in his book "Celestial Observations in the Himalayas."

While the Celestial surname is not among the most common in England, it has a long and rich history, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name's celestial connotations have been reflected in the pursuits and achievements of its bearers throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Celestial

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

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

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

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