Sestak
A surname possibly derived from the Czech word sesit, meaning "to bring together" or "to gather."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 686 Americans carry the last name Sestak. That puts it at #38,214 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 499,642 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sestak surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
686
1 in 499,642
Census rank
#38,214
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
580
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 580 bearers of the surname Sestak in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 38214th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sestak, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sestak
The surname Sestak has its origins in the Czech Republic and is believed to have first appeared in the early 15th century. It is derived from the Czech word "sesek," which means "a cleared area of land" or "a clearing in a forest." This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived in or near a cleared area of land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sestak can be found in a 1436 document from the town of Litomerice, which mentions a person named Jan Sestak. The name also appears in various records from the 16th and 17th centuries in the regions of Bohemia and Moravia, which were part of the Kingdom of Bohemia at the time.
In the 18th century, the name Sestak can be found in records from the town of Kutná Hora, a historic mining town in central Bohemia. One notable individual with this surname was Vaclav Sestak, a miner who lived in Kutná Hora in the mid-1700s.
The surname Sestak has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such individual was Jan Sestak, a Czech composer and organist who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is known for his contributions to the development of Czech sacred music during the Renaissance period.
Another notable bearer of the Sestak surname was Karel Sestak, a Czech painter and illustrator who lived from 1857 to 1935. He was renowned for his landscape paintings and illustrations of Czech folklore and mythology.
In the 20th century, Josef Sestak was a prominent Czech politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia from 1953 to 1962. He played a significant role in shaping the country's foreign policy during the Cold War era.
While the surname Sestak is most commonly associated with the Czech Republic, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, particularly in areas with historical connections to the Czech lands. However, the majority of historical records and notable individuals with this surname can be traced back to its Czech origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sestak
Among Census respondents with the surname Sestak, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sestak bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Sestak surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races0.9%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Sestak surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #38,214 | #38,214 | 0.0% |
| Count | 580 | 580 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Sestak bearers went from 580 to 580 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #38,214 to #38,214.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Sestak
FAQ
Sestak surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Sestak?
The surname Sestak holds position #38,214 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 686 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Sestak surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sestak, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (0.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.