Hoekstra
A Dutch toponymic surname indicating an origin near a corner or sharp bend in a road or dike.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,113 Americans carry the last name Hoekstra. That puts it at #9,203 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 83,334 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hoekstra surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
4.1K
1 in 83,334
Census rank
#9,203
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,544 bearers of the surname Hoekstra in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9203rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoekstra, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.0%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hoekstra
The surname Hoekstra originated in the Netherlands, primarily in the northern province of Friesland. It is believed to have emerged sometime in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Dutch word "hoek," meaning "corner" or "angle," and "stra," which is a shortened form of the word "straat," meaning "street." Thus, Hoekstra likely referred to someone who lived on a street corner or at an angled intersection.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Hoekstra can be found in the archives of the city of Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland, where a certain Hobbe Hoekstra is mentioned in a document dated 1511. This suggests that the name was already in use by the early 16th century, if not earlier.
During the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, the Hoekstra family played a notable role in the cultural and intellectual life of the Netherlands. Pieter Hoekstra (1628-1694), a prominent scholar and theologian, was born in Leeuwarden and served as a minister in several Dutch Reformed churches. His published works include commentaries on the Bible and treatises on theological topics.
Another noteworthy figure was Jelmer Hoekstra (1785-1856), a Frisian poet and playwright who wrote in both Dutch and the Frisian language. His plays and poetry celebrated Frisian culture and identity, and he is considered one of the most important writers in the Frisian literary tradition.
In the 19th century, Dyk Hoekstra (1820-1898) was a renowned architect who designed numerous buildings in the Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Gothic styles. Some of his most famous works include the Westerkerk in Amsterdam and the Paleis voor Volksvlijt, a grand exhibition hall that once stood in the same city.
More recently, the name Hoekstra has been carried by individuals such as Jelle Hoekstra (1915-1996), a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II who was awarded the prestigious Resistance Memorial Cross for his bravery and sacrifices in the fight against Nazi occupation.
Despite its Dutch origins, the Hoekstra surname has spread beyond the Netherlands over time, with individuals bearing this name found in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and other countries with historical Dutch connections or immigration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hoekstra
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoekstra, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.0%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hoekstra bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Hoekstra surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.8%
- Hispanic or Latino1.0%
- Two or more races0.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4%
- Black or African American0.2%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Hoekstra surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,073 | #9,203 | -1.4% |
| Count | 3,312 | 3,544 | 7.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.23 | 1.20 | -2.4% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Hoekstra bearers went from 3,312 to 3,544 (+7.0% change). The surname moved down 130 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,073 to #9,203.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hoekstra
FAQ
Hoekstra surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Hoekstra?
The surname Hoekstra holds position #9,203 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 4,113 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.20 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Hoekstra surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hoekstra, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.0%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.