2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Jestis
A surname derived from the Filipino word "hestri", meaning jester or comedian.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Jestis. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jestis 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Jestis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jestis, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jestis
The surname "JESTIS" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from an Old English word or place name. Its earliest known spelling is "Jestis," which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror.
One theory suggests that the name "JESTIS" may have originated from a place name in the county of Yorkshire, where several villages and hamlets bore similar names, such as "Jestis-by-the-Water" or "Jestis-upon-Wold." These place names could have derived from an Old English word or personal name, possibly related to the concept of "jest" or "jest-maker."
Another theory proposes that "JESTIS" may have been a variant spelling of the Old French surname "Geste," which was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. This surname was derived from the Old French word "geste," meaning "deed" or "exploit," and was often given to individuals who were known for their notable accomplishments or heroic deeds.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name "JESTIS" was Sir Robert Jestis (c. 1150-1225), a prominent landowner and knight who served under King John and King Henry III. Another notable figure was Lady Margery Jestis (c. 1280-1345), who was a wealthy heiress and benefactor of the Church in the county of Lincolnshire.
During the 14th century, the name "JESTIS" appears in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and the Poll Tax Returns of 1379. These documents list individuals like John Jestis (c. 1310-1385), a merchant from the city of York, and Thomas Jestis (c. 1330-1395), a farmer from the village of Jestis-upon-Wold.
In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir William Jestis (c. 1520-1588), a courtier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He was knighted for his services and played a crucial role in the negotiations with Spain during the Anglo-Spanish War.
Throughout the centuries, the surname "JESTIS" has been associated with various professions and social classes, from landowners and knights to merchants and farmers. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has also been carried by individuals of notable status and accomplishments.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jestis
Among Census respondents with the surname Jestis, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Jestis 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 Jestis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.2% · 95
- Two or more races12.0% · 14
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.3% · 5
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jestis
Jestis 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,606 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+6 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,077 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,606 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.4%) | Up 4,077 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 Jestis 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 | #148,347 | #144,270 | 2.7% |
| Count | 111 | 117 | 5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jestis bearers went from 111 to 117 (+5.4% change). The surname moved up 4,077 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #144,270.
FAQ
Jestis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jestis?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Jestis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Jestis?
Jestis ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Jestis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Jestis.
Has Jestis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jestis went from 111 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 6 (+5.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Jestis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jestis, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.3%). 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 Jestis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.2% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jestis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.2%), Two or More Races (12.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.3%). 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 Jestis (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 Jestis mean?
A surname derived from the Filipino word "hestri", meaning jester or comedian. 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 Jestis (0.04 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 Jestis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.