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

Mister, 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 Mister surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mister in America

Mister is the 21553rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mister surname appeared 1,211 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 Mister.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mister 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 Mister

The surname "MISTER" is an English occupational name derived from the Old French "maistre" or "mestre", meaning "master" or "teacher". This term was originally used to refer to someone who held a position of authority or was highly skilled in a particular profession.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "MISTER" can be traced back to the late 12th century in various regions of England. It was commonly found in areas with significant French influence, such as the counties of Essex, Kent, and Sussex.

In the 13th century, the name "MISTER" appeared in several historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, where it was listed as "Mayster". This spelling variation suggests a direct link to the Old French root word "maistre".

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "MISTER" was John Mister, a landowner mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285. This document recorded legal agreements involving land transfers and property rights.

Another notable figure was William Mister, a prominent merchant and freeman of the City of London, who lived during the reign of King Edward III (1312-1377). He was recorded as a member of the Worshipful Company of Vintners in 1363.

In the 15th century, the surname "MISTER" was found in various place names across England, such as Misterton in Nottinghamshire and Mistley in Essex. These locations likely derived their names from individuals bearing the surname "MISTER" who resided or held land in those areas.

During the Tudor period, a prominent figure with the surname "MISTER" was Sir Thomas Mister (c. 1490-1552), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. He served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1524 and was knighted by King Henry VIII.

Another notable individual was John Mister (1595-1668), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Stanwell in Middlesex. He wrote several theological works, including "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" and "The Doctrine of the Two Covenants".

In the 18th century, Richard Mister (1701-1780) was a renowned architect and surveyor from London. He designed several notable buildings, including St. Bride's Church in Fleet Street and the Palladian-style Shobdon Court in Herefordshire.

Throughout its history, the surname "MISTER" has been associated with individuals from various professions and social standings, reflecting its origins as an occupational name signifying authority and expertise.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mister

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

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

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

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