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

Lester, 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 Lester surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lester in America

Lester is the 768th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lester surname appeared 44,784 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 15 people would have the surname Lester.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lester 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 Lester

The surname Lester has its roots in England and is believed to have originated in the late 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "læster," which means a worker or maker of lasts, which are wooden molds used in shoemaking. The earliest known bearers of the surname were likely individuals involved in the shoemaking trade.

The name has been recorded in various historical documents, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Lestre." This early spelling suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Lester was Robert Lester, who lived in Nottinghamshire, England, in the 12th century. Another early bearer of the name was William Lester, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195.

The surname Lester has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Lester's Farm in Bedfordshire and Lester's Farm in Gloucestershire. These place names may have derived from individuals bearing the surname who owned or resided in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Lester. One of the most famous was Sir William Lester (c. 1388-1463), an English knight and military commander who served during the Hundred Years' War. He was known for his bravery and leadership in battles against the French.

Another prominent figure with the surname Lester was Richard Lester (1932-2020), an American film director and producer best known for his work on films like "A Hard Day's Night" and "Superman III." He was born in Philadelphia and had a successful career in the entertainment industry.

Thomas Lester (1720-1804) was an English Baptist minister and author who wrote several religious works and served as a pastor in various churches throughout his life. His writings and sermons were widely influential during his time.

In the field of science, Caspar Lester (1840-1913) was a German-American entomologist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of insects and their behavior. He published numerous scientific papers and articles during his career.

Finally, Richard Lester (1932-2020) was a British film director and producer known for his innovative and influential work in the 1960s and 1970s. He directed iconic films such as "A Hard Day's Night" and "The Three Musketeers," and his unique style left a lasting impact on the cinema industry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lester

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

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

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

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