2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Estermyer
A surname originating from a geographical location, likely related to the German word "Ester," meaning east or eastern.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Estermyer. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Estermyer 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Estermyer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Estermyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Estermyer
The surname Estermyer is of German origin, originating in the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German words "oster" meaning "east" and "myer" meaning "farmer" or "cultivator." This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who lived in the eastern regions of Germany and worked as farmers or cultivators of the land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Estermyer can be found in the records of the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, where a family by the name of Estermyer was documented in 1532. This town, known for its well-preserved medieval architecture, was a prominent center of trade and commerce during that time period.
In the 17th century, the name Estermyer appeared in the records of the town of Bamberg, also located in Bavaria. A notable individual bearing this surname was Johann Estermyer, born in 1645, who was a respected blacksmith and metalworker in the region.
As the name spread across Germany, variations in spelling emerged, including Ostermayer, Ostermair, and Estermair. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.
In the late 18th century, a prominent figure with the surname Estermyer was Heinrich Estermyer (1765-1842), a successful merchant and landowner from the town of Heidelberg. His business dealings and landholdings played a significant role in the local economy at the time.
Another notable individual was Anna Estermyer (1790-1872), who was born in the town of Freiburg im Breisgau. She was a renowned herbalist and healer, widely respected for her knowledge of medicinal plants and traditional remedies.
During the 19th century, the name Estermyer gained recognition in the field of education. One such individual was Karl Estermyer (1822-1898), a respected professor of philosophy at the University of Leipzig. His teachings and writings on ethics and moral philosophy had a lasting impact on academic circles of the time.
While the surname Estermyer is not among the most common in Germany today, it has a rich history dating back to the 16th century, with individuals bearing this name leaving their mark in various fields, from blacksmithing and commerce to education and healing traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Estermyer
Among Census respondents with the surname Estermyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Estermyer 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 Estermyer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2% · 98
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Estermyer
Estermyer 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,872 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 962 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 11,872 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 962 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 Estermyer 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 | #152,628 | #153,590 | -0.6% |
| Count | 107 | 104 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Estermyer bearers went from 107 to 104 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 962 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #153,590.
FAQ
Estermyer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Estermyer?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Estermyer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Estermyer?
Estermyer ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 104 people with the surname Estermyer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Estermyer.
Has Estermyer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Estermyer went from 107 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #152,628 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Estermyer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Estermyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Black (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Estermyer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.2% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Estermyer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.2%), Black (1.9%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Estermyer (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 Estermyer mean?
A surname originating from a geographical location, likely related to the German word "Ester," meaning east or eastern. 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 Estermyer (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Estermyer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.