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

Jestice, 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 Jestice surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jestice in America

Jestice is the 67943rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jestice surname appeared 290 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 Jestice.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jestice 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 Jestice

The surname Jestice originated in England during the late medieval period, likely derived from the Anglo-Norman French word "gester," meaning "to perform" or "to gesture." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a traveling entertainer, such as a minstrel, jester, or actor.

Tracing the name's roots back to the 13th century, one of the earliest recorded instances appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a "Willelmus le Gestour." This entry provides evidence of the name's association with performers during that era.

In the 14th century, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Gestour, Jestor, and Jesture, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography at the time. A notable bearer from this period was John Jestour, a minstrel who performed at the court of King Edward III in the 1340s.

As the name spread across England, it gained local variations and adaptations. In the county of Gloucestershire, the name appeared as Jestice, possibly influenced by the local dialect or pronunciation. This spelling is documented in the Gloucestershire Subsidy Rolls of 1380, which recorded a "Thomas Jestice" as a taxpayer.

During the Renaissance period, the surname continued to be associated with the performing arts. William Jestice (1520-1585), a renowned actor and playwright, was a contemporary of William Shakespeare and is believed to have performed in some of the Bard's plays.

In the 17th century, the name Jestice appeared in various parish records across England, indicating its wider geographical distribution. One notable figure from this era was Robert Jestice (1632-1694), a respected scholar and author who published several treatises on philosophy and theology.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Jestice maintained its presence in various regions of England, although its connection to the performing arts gradually diminished. Nonetheless, it has left an indelible mark on the nation's cultural and historical tapestry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jestice

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

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

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

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