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

Tekeste, 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 Tekeste surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tekeste in America

Tekeste is the 61123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tekeste surname appeared 329 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Tekeste.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tekeste 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 Tekeste

The surname TEKESTE originates from the Tigrinya language spoken in Eritrea and parts of Ethiopia. It is believed to have emerged around the 15th century in the region of Hamasien, which was part of the ancient Aksumite Kingdom.

The name TEKESTE is derived from the Tigrinya word "tekestu," which means "he was born" or "he emerged." This suggests that the surname may have been initially given to someone who was born or emerged in a significant way, perhaps during a momentous event or in a notable location.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name TEKESTE can be found in church manuscripts and land ownership records from the 16th and 17th centuries in the Hamasien region. These documents mention individuals with variations of the spelling, such as Tekesté, Tekestey, and Tekestu.

One notable figure bearing the surname was Gebre TEKESTE, a prominent Catholic priest who lived in the late 18th century and played a crucial role in establishing the first Catholic mission in Eritrea. Another was Abuna Yohannes TEKESTE, a revered religious leader and scholar who lived in the 19th century and is credited with translating several religious texts into Tigrinya.

In the early 20th century, a man named Haile TEKESTE gained recognition as a skilled artist and painter, known for his vivid depictions of Eritrean landscapes and cultural scenes. His works are showcased in various museums and private collections in Eritrea and beyond.

During the Italian colonial period in Eritrea, a notable figure was Tesfai TEKESTE, a resistance fighter who actively opposed the Italian occupation and was eventually imprisoned for his efforts. He was born in 1890 and died in 1956, leaving a lasting legacy as a symbol of Eritrean resistance.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Kidane TEKESTE, a prominent writer and journalist who lived from 1901 to 1978. He played a significant role in the development of Tigrinya literature and was known for his critical essays and commentaries on social and political issues of his time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tekeste

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

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

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

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