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

Dykstra, 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 Dykstra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dykstra in America

Dykstra is the 4485th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dykstra surname appeared 7,913 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Dykstra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dykstra 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 Dykstra

The surname Dykstra has its origins in the Netherlands, specifically in the Dutch province of Friesland. It emerged in the 16th century as a toponymic surname, derived from the Dutch words "dijk" meaning "dike" and "stra" meaning "street" or "way." This suggests that the name likely originated in an area near a dike or raised embankment.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dykstra can be found in the Frisian Archives, dating back to the late 1500s. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Dijckstra, Dijkstra, and Dykstra, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling at the time.

In the 17th century, the name Dykstra was documented in several historical records, including church registries and municipal archives in the Frisian towns of Leeuwarden and Franeker. These records provide insight into the lives and occupations of early Dykstra families, many of whom were involved in agriculture, fishing, and other traditional Frisian trades.

One notable historical figure bearing the Dykstra surname was Bauke Dykstra (1732-1808), a Frisian poet and writer who gained acclaim for his contributions to the Frisian language and literature. His works, including the epic poem "De Lytse Sweagers," offered a glimpse into the cultural heritage and daily life of 18th-century Friesland.

Another prominent individual was Arjen Dykstra (1804-1879), a Frisian politician and jurist who played a significant role in the development of Dutch legal systems. He served as a member of the Dutch Senate and was instrumental in drafting several important laws and regulations.

In the 19th century, the Dykstra name began to spread beyond the Netherlands as members of the family immigrated to other countries. One such individual was Sierk Dykstra (1832-1912), a Frisian farmer who settled in the United States in the late 1800s, establishing a Dykstra lineage in America.

Gerrit Dykstra (1861-1939), a Dutch-American businessman and real estate developer, was also a notable figure who contributed to the growth and development of several cities in the United States, including Chicago and Los Angeles.

Finally, Lenny Dykstra (born 1963), a former professional baseball player and member of the 1986 World Series champion New York Mets, is a contemporary figure who has carried on the Dykstra name in the world of sports.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dykstra

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

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

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

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