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

Esterly, 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 Esterly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Esterly in America

Esterly is the 29261st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Esterly surname appeared 809 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Esterly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Esterly 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 Esterly

The surname Esterly originated in Germany and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is likely derived from the Old German word "oster," meaning east, suggesting that the name's bearers may have hailed from an eastern region or settlement. Alternatively, the name could stem from a place name containing "oster," such as Osterhofen or Osterlind.

Historical records indicate that the Esterly name first appeared in the German region of Bavaria during the 13th century. One of the earliest known mentions of the name can be found in a 1286 document from the town of Regensburg, which refers to a certain "Heinrich Esterly."

In the 15th century, the Esterly name gained prominence with the birth of Hans Esterly (1435-1501), a notable German painter and engraver from the city of Nuremberg. His works, including religious paintings and woodcuts, were highly regarded during the Renaissance period.

Another notable figure bearing the Esterly name was Johann Esterly (1572-1638), a German mathematician and astronomer from the city of Erfurt. He is known for his contributions to the development of the Gregorian calendar and his work on celestial mechanics.

During the 17th century, the Esterly name spread beyond Germany, with some bearers migrating to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One such individual was Peter Esterly (1629-1701), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and became one of the first Esterly family members to establish roots in the New World.

In the 19th century, the Esterly name gained further recognition with the birth of William Esterly (1820-1891), an American industrialist and inventor from Pennsylvania. He is credited with developing several innovations in the manufacturing of firearms, including improvements to the breech-loading system.

Throughout its long history, the Esterly surname has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields, including the arts, sciences, and industry. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural exchanges that have shaped human societies over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Esterly

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

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

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

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