2000
#9,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,095
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.15
Rare Last name
Jeske
A Polish surname derived from the given name Jan, a cognate of John, meaning "God is gracious."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,350 Americans carry the last name Jeske. That puts it at #10,482 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.98 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 102,315 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jeske 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
3.4K
1 in 102,315
Census rank
#10,482
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,921 bearers of the surname Jeske in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.98 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10482nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeske, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jeske
The surname "JESKE" has its origins tracing back to the northwestern region of Germany, particularly in the areas surrounding the city of Bremen. This name is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the historical records of the city of Bremen, where a certain "Hans Jeske" was mentioned as a merchant and guild member in the year 1412. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region by that time.
The name "JESKE" is thought to be derived from the Old German word "jesk," which was used to describe a person of a quick or lively nature. It is possible that this surname was initially bestowed as a descriptive nickname, referring to someone with an energetic or spirited temperament.
In addition to its German roots, the name "JESKE" also appears to have spread to other parts of Europe, particularly in the neighboring regions of the Netherlands and Denmark. Historical records from these areas indicate the presence of individuals bearing this surname from as early as the 16th century.
One notable figure with the surname "JESKE" was Johann Jeske, a German theologian and author who lived from 1597 to 1677. He is best known for his work "Tractatus de Jure Naturali" (Treatise on Natural Law), which explored the philosophical concepts of natural law and justice.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Carl Jeske, a German painter and etcher who lived from 1842 to 1914. His works, which often depicted landscapes and rural scenes, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and can be found in various art galleries and museums across Europe.
In the realm of literature, the name "JESKE" is associated with Katharina Jeske, a German writer and poet who lived from 1892 to 1962. She was recognized for her poetic works that explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition.
Moving beyond the borders of Germany, the surname "JESKE" also found its way to other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada, primarily through immigration waves in the 19th and early 20th centuries. One notable figure from this era was William Jeske, an American industrialist and entrepreneur who established a successful manufacturing company in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the late 1800s.
While the surname "JESKE" may have evolved and spread to various regions over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the northwestern regions of Germany, where it first emerged as a descriptive name reflecting the lively or energetic nature of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jeske
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeske, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Jeske 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 Jeske surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 2,682
- Two or more races3.5% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 90
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 18
- Black or African American0.5% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jeske
Jeske 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
#10,620
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,015
-80 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Down 981 places
2020
#10,482
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,921
-94 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.98
Rank movement Up 138 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,639 | 3,095 | 1.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,620 | 3,015 | 1.02 | -80 bearers (-2.6%) | Down 981 places |
| 2020 | #10,482 | 2,921 | 0.98 | -94 bearers (-3.1%) | Up 138 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 Jeske 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 | #10,620 | #10,482 | 1.3% |
| Count | 3,015 | 2,921 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.02 | 0.98 | -4.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jeske bearers went from 3,015 to 2,921 (-3.1% change). The surname moved up 138 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,620 to #10,482.
FAQ
Jeske surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jeske?
Name Census estimates that about 3,350 living Americans carry the surname Jeske. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 102,315 residents.
How common is Jeske?
Jeske ranks #10,482 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.98 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,921 people with the surname Jeske. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,350), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.98 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.98 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Jeske.
Has Jeske become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jeske went from 3,015 recorded bearers to 2,921. That is a decrease of 94 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,620 to #10,482.
What does the Census say about the background of Jeske?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeske, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Jeske in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (2,682 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jeske appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Two or More Races (3.5%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Jeske (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 Jeske mean?
A Polish surname derived from the given name Jan, a cognate of John, meaning "God is gracious." 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 Jeske (0.98 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 people have the surname Jeske?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.