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

Istas, 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 Istas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Istas in America

Istas is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Istas surname appeared 127 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 Istas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Istas 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 Istas

The surname "ISTAS" has its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, sometime around the 12th century. The name is derived from the Basque word "ista," which means "thresher" or "winnower," referring to the occupation of threshing grain.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name "ISTAS" can be found in the archives of the town of Bayonne, located in the Basque Country of France. In a document dated 1387, a certain Petri Istas is listed as a resident of the town. This document provides valuable insight into the early spread of the surname in the region.

As the name spread throughout the Basque regions of Spain and France, it underwent various spelling variations, such as "Ysta," "Ista," and "Istas." These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name in official documents.

In the 15th century, the name "ISTAS" appears in the records of the Kingdom of Navarre, which encompassed parts of modern-day Spain and France. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Juan Istas, a prominent landowner and farmer who lived in the village of Olite in the late 1400s.

As the centuries passed, the "ISTAS" surname continued to spread beyond the Basque regions. In the 16th century, there are records of individuals with this surname in the city of Seville, Spain. One such person was Diego Istas, a merchant who traded in spices and textiles, born in 1531 and died in 1598.

Another notable bearer of the "ISTAS" surname was Inés Istas, a Basque writer and poet born in the late 17th century. Her collection of poems, titled "Lore Musikalak" (Musical Flowers), was highly acclaimed and helped to preserve the Basque language and cultural heritage.

In the 18th century, the name "ISTAS" gained recognition in the field of art. Juan Istas, born in 1721 in the town of Bilbao, was a renowned sculptor who worked on numerous religious and secular commissions throughout Spain.

As the centuries progressed, the "ISTAS" surname continued to spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world due to migration and exploration. Despite its humble origins as an occupational name, the surname has persisted and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Istas

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

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

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

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