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

East, 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 East surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of East in America

East is the 2843rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The East surname appeared 12,684 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname East.

We can also compare 2010 data for East 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 East

The surname "EAST" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "east," meaning "the direction of the rising sun." It is a locational surname, given to people who lived in the eastern part of a town or village, or who came from a place name containing the word "east."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname East can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions an individual named Eadstan de Est in Cambridgeshire. This suggests that the name was already in use in the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the surname East was found in various parts of England, particularly in counties such as Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk. In the 13th century, records show a Thomas del Est in Nottinghamshire, and a William del Est in Lincolnshire.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved from the original "de Est" to "Est" and eventually "East." Place names like Eastwood, Eastcourt, and Eastbury may have contributed to the development of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname East include Sir Thomas East (1568-1629), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament. Another was Edward East (1602-1696), a wealthy merchant and benefactor who funded the construction of East's Library in London.

In the 18th century, Sir William East (1735-1819) was a prominent English lawyer and judge, serving as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature. He was also known for his work on maritime law.

The 19th century saw the birth of Edward Murray East (1879-1938), a British writer and playwright best known for his comedic plays and novels.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname East was Sir Alfred East (1849-1913), an English landscape painter and etcher who was a prominent member of the Royal Academy of Arts and a founding member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers.

While these are just a few examples, the surname East has a long and rich history in England, reflecting the country's diverse geography and cultural influences over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name East

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

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

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

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