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

Justus, 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 Justus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Justus in America

Justus is the 5130th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Justus surname appeared 6,821 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Justus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Justus 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 Justus

The surname Justus has its roots in the Latin language and is derived from the word "justus," which means "just" or "righteous." This surname originated in ancient Rome and was likely bestowed upon individuals who were known for their sense of justice, fairness, and moral uprightness.

The earliest recorded instances of the Justus surname can be traced back to the medieval period in various parts of Europe, particularly in regions where Latin was widely used as a scholarly language. It is believed that the name was initially adopted by scholars, clerics, and individuals associated with religious or academic institutions.

One of the earliest documented references to the Justus surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. In this historical document, there are several entries mentioning individuals with variations of the Justus name, such as "Justus" and "Justinus."

During the Middle Ages, the Justus surname gained prominence in various regions across Europe. Notable individuals bearing this name include Justus Lipsius (1547-1606), a renowned Flemish philosopher and humanist scholar, and Justus Jonas (1493-1555), a German Protestant reformer and close associate of Martin Luther.

In Italy, the Justus surname has a long and distinguished history. One prominent figure was Justus Sustermans (1597-1681), a Flemish painter who spent much of his career in the service of the Medici family in Florence. His portraits of European nobility and royalty are highly regarded works of art.

Across the Atlantic, the Justus surname also found its way to the New World during the colonial era. One notable example is John Justus (1720-1790), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Pennsylvania.

In the realm of literature, the Justus surname is associated with the American poet and author Justus Bier (1810-1881), who wrote extensively about the experiences of German immigrants in the United States.

Throughout its long history, the Justus surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, religious figures, artists, and military personnel. While the specific origins of each individual bearing this surname may differ, the underlying meaning of "just" and "righteous" has remained a consistent thread connecting these individuals across time and geography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Justus

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

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

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

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