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

Koester, 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 Koester surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Koester in America

Koester is the 4789th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Koester surname appeared 7,380 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Koester.

We can also compare 2010 data for Koester 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 Koester

The surname Koester is derived from the German language and originated in the region of Germany and surrounding areas. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

One theory suggests that the name Koester is derived from the Old German word "kosten," meaning "to taste" or "to sample." This could indicate that the name was initially associated with an occupation related to food tasting or sampling, such as a vintner or a cook.

Another possibility is that the name is derived from the Old German word "kost," which means "food" or "nourishment." This could suggest that the name was originally connected to individuals involved in the production, preparation, or distribution of food.

In terms of historical references, the earliest recorded mention of the name Koester can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dated around the 14th century. This document mentions a person named "Henricus Koster" from the town of Spandau, near Berlin.

One notable individual with the surname Koester was Johannes Koester, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1518 to 1597. He was a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation and played a significant role in the spread of Lutheranism in Germany.

Another person of historical significance was Bernhard Koester, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1642 to 1698. He is known for his intricate etchings and engravings depicting biblical scenes and landscapes.

In the 18th century, Johann Koester, a German philologist and classical scholar, made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek and Latin literature. He lived from 1708 to 1778 and served as a professor at various universities in Germany.

Moving to the 19th century, Carl Koester was a German-American artist and lithographer who lived from 1818 to 1892. He is renowned for his detailed lithographs depicting scenes from the American Civil War and the American West.

Lastly, it's worth mentioning Friedrich Koester, a German-American architect who lived from 1834 to 1912. He designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Steinway Hall and the former New York Stock Exchange Building.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Koester

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

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

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

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