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

Quist, 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 Quist surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Quist in America

Quist is the 9473rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Quist surname appeared 3,433 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 Quist.

We can also compare 2010 data for Quist 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 Quist

The surname Quist is of Scandinavian origin, originating from Norway and Sweden. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "kvistr," which means "branch" or "twig." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a particular tree or group of trees.

In the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various forms, such as Quister, Qwister, and Quistere, in historical records and documents across Scandinavia. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Danish Census Rolls of 1472, where a man named Jens Quist is listed as a resident of Copenhagen.

The Quist surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most famous was Rasmus Quist, a Danish astronomer and mathematician who lived from 1627 to 1689. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and was a pioneer in the study of comets.

Another prominent figure was Peter Quist, a Swedish painter and engraver who lived from 1609 to 1669. He was renowned for his intricate etchings and woodcuts, many of which depicted scenes from everyday life in 17th-century Sweden.

In the realm of literature, the name Quist is associated with Gunnar Quist, a Swedish author and poet who lived from 1899 to 1977. He was a prolific writer and is considered one of the most influential figures in modern Swedish literature.

The Quist surname has also been linked to various place names throughout Scandinavia. For example, the village of Quistrum in Norway is believed to have derived its name from the Old Norse word "kvistr," suggesting a connection to the surname's origins.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Quist name in the British Isles dates back to the 16th century, when a man named Hans Quist, a Dutch merchant, settled in London in 1563. This suggests that the name may have been introduced to England through trade and migration from the Netherlands and other parts of Northern Europe.

Over the centuries, the Quist surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, artisans, scholars, and noblemen. While not as widely known as some other Scandinavian surnames, it has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical fabric of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Quist

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

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

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

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