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

Mestre, 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 Mestre surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mestre in America

Mestre is the 21878th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mestre surname appeared 1,187 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Mestre.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mestre 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 Mestre

The surname Mestre originated in Portugal, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin word "magister," meaning "master" or "teacher." This name was likely given to individuals who were respected teachers or scholars in their communities.

In the 13th century, the name Mestre appeared in various Portuguese manuscripts and documents, such as the Livro Velho de Linhagens (Old Book of Lineages), which recorded noble and aristocratic families. One notable individual from this time period was Mestre Afonso, a renowned physician and philosopher who lived during the reign of King Afonso III (1210-1279).

The name Mestre has also been associated with certain place names in Portugal. For example, the town of Mestre d'Armas (Master of Arms) was named in honor of a skilled swordsman or fencing instructor who lived there during the 14th century.

During the Age of Exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, several Portuguese explorers and navigators bore the surname Mestre. One such individual was João Mestre, a cartographer and navigator who accompanied Pedro Álvares Cabral on the voyage that led to the discovery of Brazil in 1500.

Another notable figure was Luís Mestre, a 16th-century Portuguese mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of navigation techniques. He was born in Lisbon around 1520 and died in Goa, India, in 1580.

In the 17th century, the Mestre surname gained prominence in the arts. António Mestre, a Portuguese painter and engraver, was born in Lisbon in 1635 and is known for his religious paintings and engravings.

Moving into the 18th century, José Mestre was a renowned Portuguese architect and engineer. He was born in Lisbon in 1719 and is best known for his work on the reconstruction of the city after the devastating earthquake of 1755.

As Portuguese explorers and settlers ventured across the globe, the surname Mestre spread to various regions, including Brazil, Africa, and Asia. In the late 19th century, Manuel Mestre was a prominent Brazilian businessman and landowner in the state of São Paulo.

Throughout history, the surname Mestre has been associated with individuals who excelled in various fields, from education and philosophy to navigation, art, and architecture. Its origins can be traced back to the Latin word "magister," reflecting the respect and admiration bestowed upon those who possessed mastery and expertise in their respective disciplines.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mestre

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

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

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

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