2000
#18,667
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,360
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.50
Rare Last name
Kersting
A German surname meaning "from Kersten" or "of Christian origins".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,651 Americans carry the last name Kersting. That puts it at #18,890 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 207,604 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kersting 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
1.7K
1 in 207,604
Census rank
#18,890
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,440 bearers of the surname Kersting in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 18890th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kersting, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kersting
The surname KERSTING has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Germanic word "kerste," which means "small grain" or "grain husk." This suggests that the name may have been associated with occupations or locations related to agriculture or farming.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the KERSTING surname can be found in historical documents from the region of Westphalia, Germany. In the late 16th century, a man named Johannes KERSTING was mentioned in a church registry from the town of Soest, located in the present-day state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
During the 17th century, the KERSTING name appeared in various records across different parts of Germany, including the states of Saxony and Brandenburg. One notable individual from this period was Hans KERSTING, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, between 1620 and 1688.
As the KERSTING family spread across Germany, variations in the spelling of the name emerged. Some examples include KERSTINGH, KERSTINGK, and KERSTINGER. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects or the preferences of local scribes who recorded the name.
In the 18th century, a branch of the KERSTING family migrated to the Netherlands, where they settled in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen. One prominent figure from this era was Petrus KERSTING (1713-1782), a renowned painter and engraver who was born in Veendam, Groningen.
The 19th century saw the KERSTING name gain further recognition, with individuals making their mark in various fields. One such person was Wilhelm KERSTING (1812-1879), a German painter and lithographer who was born in Iserlohn, Westphalia. His works depicted scenes from everyday life and were highly regarded during his time.
Another notable figure was Georg KERSTING (1852-1920), a German-American architect and civil engineer who was born in Essen, Germany. He emigrated to the United States in the late 19th century and contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings in Chicago and other cities.
As the KERSTING family continued to spread across Europe and beyond, the name became associated with various professions, from artists and craftsmen to merchants and professionals. While its origins can be traced back to the German regions of Westphalia and Saxony, the KERSTING surname has left its mark on history in various countries and cultural spheres.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kersting
Among Census respondents with the surname Kersting, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Kersting 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 Kersting surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 1,328
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 44
- Two or more races2.6% · 38
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 8
- Black or African American0.4% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kersting
Kersting 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
#19,441
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,390
+30 bearers (+2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.47
Rank movement Down 774 places
2020
#18,890
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,440
+50 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.48
Rank movement Up 551 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,667 | 1,360 | 0.50 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #19,441 | 1,390 | 0.47 | +30 bearers (+2.2%) | Down 774 places |
| 2020 | #18,890 | 1,440 | 0.48 | +50 bearers (+3.6%) | Up 551 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 Kersting 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 | #19,441 | #18,890 | 2.8% |
| Count | 1,390 | 1,440 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.47 | 0.48 | 2.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kersting bearers went from 1,390 to 1,440 (+3.6% change). The surname moved up 551 positions in the national ranking, going from #19,441 to #18,890.
FAQ
Kersting surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kersting?
Name Census estimates that about 1,651 living Americans carry the surname Kersting. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 207,604 residents.
How common is Kersting?
Kersting ranks #18,890 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.48 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 1,440 people with the surname Kersting. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,651), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.48 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.48 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 Kersting.
Has Kersting become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kersting went from 1,390 recorded bearers to 1,440. That is an increase of 50 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #19,441 to #18,890.
What does the Census say about the background of Kersting?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kersting, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Kersting in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (1,328 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kersting appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (3.1%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Kersting (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 Kersting mean?
A German surname meaning "from Kersten" or "of Christian origins". 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 Kersting (0.48 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 common is the surname Kersting?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Kersting on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.