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

Estey, 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 Estey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Estey in America

Estey is the 17345th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Estey surname appeared 1,629 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Estey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Estey 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 Estey

The surname Estey has its origins in France, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Old French word "estai," meaning a prop or support, which later evolved into the modern French word "étai." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked with props or supports, perhaps in construction or shipbuilding.

The earliest recorded instances of the Estey surname can be found in various French records and documents from the 12th and 13th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a Guillaume Estey in the Cartulary of the Abbey of Saint-Père in Chartres, dated around 1190. This reference suggests that the name was already established in the region of Chartres by the late 12th century.

During the medieval period, the name was also present in other regions of France, with variations in spelling such as Estaye, Estaye, and Estaie appearing in various historical records. Some of these variations may have been influenced by local dialects or scribal errors.

As the name spread beyond France, it is possible that it became associated with certain place names or locations. For instance, there is a village called Estey in the Charente-Maritime department of southwestern France, which may have contributed to the name's geographical distribution.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Estey surname. One example is Jean Estey, a French composer who lived in the 16th century and contributed to the development of Renaissance music. Another is Claude Estey, a French merchant and explorer who participated in the colonization of Canada in the early 17th century.

In more recent history, Jacob Estey (1814-1890) was an American manufacturer and inventor who founded the Estey Organ Company, a prominent manufacturer of reed organs in the 19th century. His innovations in organ design and manufacturing contributed significantly to the popularity of these instruments in American homes and churches.

Another notable figure was George Estey (1838-1914), an American businessman and politician who served as the 25th Governor of Vermont from 1912 to 1914. He was also involved in the lumber and manufacturing industries.

While the Estey surname has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America, where it has been adopted by individuals of various backgrounds and ethnicities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Estey

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

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

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

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