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

Meister, 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 Meister surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meister in America

Meister is the 4496th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meister surname appeared 7,885 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 Meister.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meister 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 Meister

The surname Meister is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "meister," which means "master" or "teacher." This name was originally an occupational surname given to skilled craftsmen, artisans, or teachers who had achieved mastery in their respective fields.

The earliest known records of the Meister surname date back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. It was often associated with guilds and trade organizations, where skilled workers were recognized as masters of their craft.

During the medieval period, the Meister name appeared in various historical documents and records. One notable example is the Meister Eckhart (c. 1260-1328), a German theologian, philosopher, and mystic who was known for his profound teachings on spiritual enlightenment and the nature of the divine.

In the 15th century, Johann Meister (c. 1435-1501), a German printer and publisher, played a significant role in the early development of the printing industry. He established a printing press in Augsburg and produced several notable works, including the first printed edition of the Bible in the German language.

Another prominent figure was Georg Meister (1653-1713), a German architect and sculptor who contributed to the baroque architectural style in Saxony. He designed several notable buildings, including the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Dresden, which was later rebuilt after being destroyed during World War II.

In the realm of music, the name Meister is associated with the German composer and organist Johann Gottfried Meister (1692-1748), who was renowned for his keyboard works and sacred compositions. His contributions helped shape the development of baroque music in Germany.

Moving into the 19th century, Friedrich Wilhelm Meister (1785-1870) was a German jurist and statesman who played a significant role in the legal reforms of Prussia and the unification of Germany under Prussian leadership.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the Meister surname throughout history, reflecting its longstanding association with mastery, craftsmanship, and intellectual pursuits in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meister

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!