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

Estep, 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 Estep surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Estep in America

Estep is the 2575th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Estep surname appeared 14,037 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Estep.

We can also compare 2010 data for Estep 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 Estep

The surname ESTEP is believed to have originated in medieval England, likely derived from the Old English words "east" and "stepe," meaning "east steep" or "east hill." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near an eastward-facing hill or steep incline.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Some of the earliest spellings found in historical records include "Esteppe," "Estepe," and "Esteppe."

One notable historical reference to the name ESTEP is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a Robert Estep as a taxpayer. Additionally, the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1401, where a John Estep is recorded as a landholder.

In the 15th century, the name ESTEP can be found in various records from Somerset and Gloucestershire, indicating its spread across different regions of England. Some notable individuals from this period include William Estep, a merchant from Bristol mentioned in the city's records in 1472, and John Estep, a landowner in Gloucestershire whose name appears in the Inquisitions Post Mortem of 1489.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the ESTEP surname started to appear in other parts of Britain, including Scotland and Ireland. One notable figure from this era was Robert Estep, a Scottish clergyman who served as the minister of Crail in Fife in the early 1600s.

As the British Empire expanded, the ESTEP name was carried to various colonies and settlements around the world. One prominent individual was Captain John Estep, an English explorer and navigator who was part of the Virginia Company's expedition to the New World in the early 1600s. He was among the first settlers of Jamestown, Virginia, and played a significant role in the colony's establishment.

Another notable figure was Sir William Estep (1679-1744), a British military officer and politician who served as the Governor of Madras (now Chennai, India) from 1733 to 1744. He was instrumental in strengthening the East India Company's presence in the region.

While the ESTEP surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, due to migration and colonial expansion.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Estep

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

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

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

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