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

Mosteller, 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 Mosteller surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mosteller in America

Mosteller is the 10860th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mosteller surname appeared 2,933 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Mosteller.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mosteller 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 Mosteller

The surname Mosteller is believed to have originated in the region of Germany, specifically in the area around the city of Munich. The name is thought to have derived from the German word "Mostell," which refers to a place where apples were pressed to make cider or vinegar.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, where a reference to a "Heinrich Mosteller" was found in a manuscript from a Bavarian monastery. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a family or individual involved in the production or sale of apple cider or vinegar during that time period.

In the 16th century, records show that a family named Mosteller was living in the town of Oberammergau, located in the Bavarian Alps. This town was known for its passion plays, and it is possible that members of the Mosteller family may have been involved in these religious performances.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Mosteller was Johann Mosteller, born in 1624 in the village of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, also located in the Bavarian Alps. Johann was a farmer and is believed to have been one of the first to cultivate the Bavarian Sweet Potato, a variety of potato that became a staple crop in the region.

In the 18th century, a notable figure named Friedrich Mosteller (1719-1798) was a prominent theologian and professor at the University of Tübingen in Germany. He was known for his work on biblical exegesis and his contributions to the field of theology.

Another individual of note was Wilhelmina Mosteller (1785-1861), a German author and poet who wrote several collections of poetry and short stories. Her works were popular during the Romantic period and often focused on themes of nature and love.

During the 19th century, several families with the surname Mosteller emigrated from Germany to other parts of Europe and North America. This led to the name being more widely dispersed, with pockets of Mostellers appearing in countries like Austria, Switzerland, and the United States.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Mosteller was Frederick Mosteller (1916-2006), an American statistician and mathematician. He was a pioneer in the field of biostatistics and made significant contributions to the development of statistical methods in fields such as medicine, psychology, and education.

Overall, the surname Mosteller has a rich history rooted in the traditions and culture of Bavaria, Germany, dating back several centuries. While its exact origins may be somewhat obscure, the name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, theologians, authors, and renowned academics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mosteller

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mosteller, 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!