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

Justis, 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 Justis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Justis in America

Justis is the 20421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Justis surname appeared 1,301 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 Justis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Justis 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 Justis

The surname Justis has its origins in medieval England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. Derived from the Old French word "juste," meaning "just" or "righteous," the name was likely bestowed upon individuals who were considered upright or virtuous in character.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Richard le Justise, mentioned in the Cartulary of Oseney Abbey in Oxfordshire in 1279. This early spelling variation, "Justise," provides insight into the evolution of the surname over time.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a John Justis is listed in 1317. This document offers a glimpse into the geographic distribution of the name during this period.

The Justis surname is also found in the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. While the exact entry is not specified, its inclusion in this important historical record underscores the surname's antiquity and significance in medieval England.

As the centuries progressed, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Justis, Justiss, Justise, and Justys. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the personal preferences of individual scribes responsible for transcribing records.

Notable bearers of the Justis surname throughout history include Sir John Justis (c. 1450-1521), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Kent in the early 16th century. Another notable figure was William Justis (1572-1638), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge.

In the 17th century, the Justis surname gained further recognition with the birth of Robert Justis (1639-1717), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and is remembered for his work on the motion of the moon.

The 18th century saw the emergence of Thomas Justis (1728-1798), an influential English writer and philosopher whose works explored themes of morality, ethics, and human nature. His seminal work, "An Inquiry into the Nature of Virtue," garnered widespread acclaim and influenced subsequent generations of thinkers.

Another notable figure bearing the Justis surname was Elizabeth Justis (1802-1879), a pioneering English educator and social reformer. She founded several schools for underprivileged children and was a vocal advocate for improved educational opportunities, particularly for girls and women.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Justis

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

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

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

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