2000
#4,404
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,451
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.76
Rare Last name
Dykstra
A Dutch occupational surname referring to a person living near or working at a dike or embankment.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,255 Americans carry the last name Dykstra. That puts it at #4,249 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 37,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dykstra 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
9.3K
1 in 37,035
Census rank
#4,249
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,071 bearers of the surname Dykstra in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4249th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dykstra, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dykstra
Among Census respondents with the surname Dykstra, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Dykstra 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 Dykstra surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 7,554
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 231
- Two or more races2.1% · 171
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 64
- Black or African American0.5% · 37
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dykstra
Dykstra 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
#4,485
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,913
+462 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 2.68
Rank movement Down 81 places
2020
#4,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,071
+158 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 2.70
Rank movement Up 236 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,404 | 7,451 | 2.76 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,485 | 7,913 | 2.68 | +462 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 81 places |
| 2020 | #4,249 | 8,071 | 2.70 | +158 bearers (+2.0%) | Up 236 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 Dykstra 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 | #4,485 | #4,249 | 5.3% |
| Count | 7,913 | 8,071 | 2.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.68 | 2.70 | 0.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dykstra bearers went from 7,913 to 8,071 (+2.0% change). The surname moved up 236 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,485 to #4,249.
FAQ
Dykstra surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dykstra?
Name Census estimates that about 9,255 living Americans carry the surname Dykstra. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 37,035 residents.
How common is Dykstra?
Dykstra ranks #4,249 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.70 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 8,071 people with the surname Dykstra. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,255), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.70 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Dykstra.
Has Dykstra become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dykstra went from 7,913 recorded bearers to 8,071. That is an increase of 158 (+2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,485 to #4,249.
What does the Census say about the background of Dykstra?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dykstra, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Dykstra in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (7,554 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dykstra appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Hispanic (2.9%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Dykstra (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 Dykstra mean?
A Dutch occupational surname referring to a person living near or working at a dike or embankment. 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 Dykstra (2.70 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 Dykstra?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.