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

Jessa, 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 Jessa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jessa in America

Jessa is the 142108th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jessa surname appeared 117 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 Jessa.

The history of the last name Jessa

The surname "JESSA" has its origins in the Middle Ages, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of modern-day Germany, specifically in the area around the city of Essen. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "jessa," which means "dweller of the river."

One of the earliest known references to the name "JESSA" can be found in a medieval manuscript from the year 1124, which mentions a landowner named Konrad Jessa von Essen. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

During the 13th century, the name began to spread beyond the Essen area, with records showing individuals bearing the surname "JESSA" in various parts of Germany. One notable example is Heinrich Jessa, a merchant from the city of Hamburg who lived in the late 1200s.

As the centuries passed, the name "JESSA" continued to be found throughout Germany and neighboring regions. In the 15th century, a wealthy landowner named Johann Jessa was recorded as owning significant tracts of land in the region of Saxony.

By the 16th century, the name had also made its way to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and England. One notable figure from this period was Willem Jessa, a Dutch painter who lived from 1540 to 1608 and was known for his masterful depictions of landscapes and seascapes.

In the 17th century, the name "JESSA" appeared in various records and documents throughout Europe. One interesting example is that of Hans Jessa, a German soldier who fought in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and was mentioned in several military accounts from that period.

As time progressed, the name "JESSA" continued to be found in various parts of the world, often carried by individuals or families who had migrated from their original homelands. While the name may have evolved and taken on different spellings or variations in different regions, its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages and the region around the city of Essen in Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jessa

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

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 Jessa 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.

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

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

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