2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Coaster
A surname denoting one who lives near coastal areas.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Coaster. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Coaster 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Coaster in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Coaster, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.5%. The next largest groups are White (44.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Coaster
The surname "COASTER" is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It likely derived from the Old English word "coste," meaning a resident or dweller along the coast or by the sea. The name may have been an occupational surname given to individuals who lived in coastal regions or worked in maritime trades.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "COASTER" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a Roger Coaster is mentioned. This suggests that the name was in use by the late 12th century in the county of Lincolnshire, which has a significant coastline along the North Sea.
In the 14th century, the name "COASTER" appeared in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where a William Coaster is listed. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.
During the 16th century, the surname "COASTER" was found in various locations across England. Notably, Thomas Coaster (1519-1584) was an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Taunton in Somerset.
In the 17th century, John Coaster (1615-1672) was a prominent English theologian and minister who served as the Rector of Standish in Lancashire. He was known for his works on religious subjects and his involvement in the religious debates of the time.
Another notable figure with the surname "COASTER" was Henry Coaster (1768-1845), an English painter and engraver who was known for his landscapes and views of English cities and towns. He was born in Gloucester and lived during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
In the 19th century, William Coaster (1813-1887) was an English architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London and the surrounding areas. He was responsible for the design of several churches and public buildings during the Victorian era.
The surname "COASTER" has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Coaster's Green in Hertfordshire and Coaster's Hill in Wiltshire, suggesting that the name may have been derived from or influenced by these locations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Coaster
Among Census respondents with the surname Coaster, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.5%. The next largest groups are White (44.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Coaster 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 Coaster surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American49.5% · 52
- White44.8% · 47
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Coaster
Coaster 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+16 bearers (+15.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,938 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-14 bearers (-11.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,832 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.5%) | Up 6,938 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.8%) | Down 12,832 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 Coaster 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 | #140,157 | #152,989 | -9.2% |
| Count | 119 | 105 | -11.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Coaster bearers went from 119 to 105 (-11.8% change). The surname moved down 12,832 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #152,989.
FAQ
Coaster surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Coaster?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Coaster. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Coaster?
Coaster ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Coaster. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Coaster.
Has Coaster become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Coaster went from 119 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 14 (-11.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Coaster?
Among Census respondents with the surname Coaster, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.5%. The next largest groups are White (44.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Coaster in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.5% (52 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Coaster appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (49.5%), White (44.8%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Coaster (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 Coaster mean?
A surname denoting one who lives near coastal areas. 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 Coaster (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 common is the surname Coaster?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Coaster on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.