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

Star, 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 Star surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Star in America

Star is the 14279th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Star surname appeared 2,097 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 Star.

We can also compare 2010 data for Star 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 Star

The surname STAR is of English origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have evolved from the Old English word "steorra," which means "star" or "celestial body." This name likely referred to either a person who lived near a specific star-shaped landmark or one who was particularly skilled in astrology or celestial navigation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the STAR surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Richard Sterre. This version of the name, with an additional "e" at the end, was a common spelling variation during that era.

In the 14th century, the STAR surname appeared in various medieval records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which listed a John Sterre. The spelling had not yet been standardized, leading to variations such as Starre, Ster, and Stera.

During the 16th century, the STAR surname became more prevalent and appeared in several notable historical documents. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1524 recorded a William Starr, while the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1558 mentioned a John Starr.

One of the earliest known individuals with the STAR surname was John Star, a prominent English merchant and Member of Parliament for Bristol in the late 16th century (c. 1547-1605). Another notable figure was John Starr, a Puritan minister and one of the founders of the New Haven Colony in Connecticut, born around 1585.

In the 17th century, the STAR surname gained further recognition with individuals like Samuel Starr (1594-1669), an English minister and author who published several religious works. Additionally, Comfort Starr (c. 1617-1659) was one of the earliest settlers in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and became a prominent figure in the early colonial history of New England.

The 18th century saw the rise of several notable individuals with the STAR surname, including Ebenezer Starr (1719-1799), a Revolutionary War soldier from Connecticut. Another figure was John Starr (1728-1804), an American silversmith and engraver who worked in Philadelphia and is known for his intricate designs on silverware and other objects.

As the surname spread across different regions, it also became associated with various place names. For example, the village of Starr in Bedfordshire, England, is believed to have derived its name from the STAR surname, reflecting the influence of local families bearing this name in the area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Star

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

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

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

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