2000
#8,260
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,689
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.37
Rare Last name
Quesenberry
An occupational surname for a cheesemonger or cheese seller, derived from the German word "Käse" meaning "cheese."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,778 Americans carry the last name Quesenberry. That puts it at #9,447 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 90,724 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quesenberry surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.8K
1 in 90,724
Census rank
#9,447
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,295 bearers of the surname Quesenberry in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9447th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quesenberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quesenberry
The surname Quesenberry is believed to have originated in England, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to derive from a place name, potentially a combination of words related to a geographical feature or location.
One possible origin is from the Old English words "cwic" meaning "quick" or "lively" and "burna" meaning "stream" or "brook". This would suggest the name may have originated from a place near a swift-flowing stream or river.
Another theory links the name to the village of Quesenbury or Quizenbury in Lancashire, England. Records from the 13th century mention this place, and it is possible that the surname was adopted by families residing in or near this locality.
The earliest known recorded instances of the name appear in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, England, dating back to the late 13th century. These rolls were administrative records of the time, listing landowners and tenants.
During the 16th century, variants of the spelling included Quysenborough, Quisenbury, and Quyssenbery. These variations highlight the fluidity of surnames during that period, often influenced by local dialects and scribes' interpretations.
One notable figure bearing this surname was John Quesenberry (1671-1737), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Derby in the early 18th century. He was involved in local governance and served as a Justice of the Peace.
In the 19th century, Edward Quesenberry (1808-1891) was a prominent American lawyer and politician from Kentucky. He served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives and was active in legal circles.
Moving into the 20th century, Paul Quesenberry (1898-1981) was an American baseball player who played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for several teams, including the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.
Another notable figure was Edna Quesenberry (1901-1985), an American artist and sculptor known for her works depicting rural life and landscapes. She was recognized for her contributions to the arts in Virginia.
Finally, Jared Quesenberry (born 1983) is a contemporary American professional baseball player who has played as a pitcher for various teams in Major League Baseball, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quesenberry
Among Census respondents with the surname Quesenberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Quesenberry bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Quesenberry surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 3,039
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 117
- Two or more races3.2% · 105
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 14
- Black or African American0.4% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quesenberry
Quesenberry appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,630
-59 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 1.23
Rank movement Down 751 places
2020
#9,447
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,295
-335 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Down 436 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,260 | 3,689 | 1.37 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,011 | 3,630 | 1.23 | -59 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 751 places |
| 2020 | #9,447 | 3,295 | 1.10 | -335 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 436 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Quesenberry surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,011 | #9,447 | -4.8% |
| Count | 3,630 | 3,295 | -9.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.23 | 1.10 | -10.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quesenberry bearers went from 3,630 to 3,295 (-9.2% change). The surname moved down 436 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,011 to #9,447.
FAQ
Quesenberry surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quesenberry?
Name Census estimates that about 3,778 living Americans carry the surname Quesenberry. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 90,724 residents.
How common is Quesenberry?
Quesenberry ranks #9,447 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.10 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,295 people with the surname Quesenberry. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,778), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.10 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Quesenberry.
Has Quesenberry become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quesenberry went from 3,630 recorded bearers to 3,295. That is a decrease of 335 (-9.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,011 to #9,447.
What does the Census say about the background of Quesenberry?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quesenberry, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Quesenberry in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (3,039 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quesenberry appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (3.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Quesenberry (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Quesenberry mean?
An occupational surname for a cheesemonger or cheese seller, derived from the German word "Käse" meaning "cheese." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Quesenberry (1.10 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Quesenberry?
Want to know how many people have the surname Quesenberry? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.