2000
#10,212
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,896
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.07
Rare Last name
Teske
A surname of Polish origin, derived from the word "cieśla" meaning carpenter or woodworker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,266 Americans carry the last name Teske. That puts it at #10,711 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.95 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 104,946 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Teske 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
3.3K
1 in 104,946
Census rank
#10,711
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,848 bearers of the surname Teske in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.95 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10711th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Teske, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Teske
The surname Teske has its origins in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old German word "tesca," which translates to "thicket" or "bush," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname may have resided near a densely wooded area or were perhaps involved in occupations related to forestry.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Teske surname can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appears in various historical documents and records from the regions of Saxony and Pomerania in northern Germany. These early mentions often reference individuals with similar spellings, such as "Tescke" or "Teschke," indicating the fluidity of the name's spelling over time.
In the 14th century, the Teske name gained prominence with the rise of a prominent family of merchants and landowners in the city of Rostock, located in the present-day state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This family played a significant role in the economic and political affairs of the region during that period, and their influence can be seen in various historical accounts and records from the time.
One notable figure bearing the Teske name was Hans Teske, a respected scholar and theologian who lived in the late 15th century. Born in 1463 in the town of Stralsund, Hans Teske made significant contributions to the field of theology and was widely respected for his academic pursuits and writings.
During the 16th century, the Teske surname continued to spread throughout Germany, with mentions found in various town and village records. One such example is Johann Teske, a renowned clockmaker from the city of Augsburg, who gained recognition for his intricate and beautifully crafted timepieces, which were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy patrons of the era. Johann Teske lived from 1523 to 1597.
In the 17th century, the Teske name gained further prominence with the rise of Heinrich Teske, a prominent military commander who served in the Thirty Years' War. Heinrich Teske, born in 1608 in the town of Magdeburg, was known for his strategic acumen and bravery on the battlefield, earning him a reputation as a skilled leader and soldier.
As the centuries passed, the Teske surname continued to spread throughout Germany and eventually made its way to other parts of Europe and the world, carried by emigrants and settlers seeking new opportunities and horizons. While the name's origins may be rooted in the German countryside, its legacy has transcended borders and become a part of the rich tapestry of global cultures and histories.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Teske
Among Census respondents with the surname Teske, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Teske 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 Teske surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 2,679
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 70
- Two or more races2.1% · 60
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 13
- Black or African American0.4% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Teske
Teske 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
#10,731
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,975
+79 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Down 519 places
2020
#10,711
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,848
-127 bearers (-4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.95
Rank movement Up 20 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,212 | 2,896 | 1.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,731 | 2,975 | 1.01 | +79 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 519 places |
| 2020 | #10,711 | 2,848 | 0.95 | -127 bearers (-4.3%) | Up 20 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 Teske 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 | #10,731 | #10,711 | 0.2% |
| Count | 2,975 | 2,848 | -4.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.01 | 0.95 | -5.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Teske bearers went from 2,975 to 2,848 (-4.3% change). The surname moved up 20 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,731 to #10,711.
FAQ
Teske surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Teske?
Name Census estimates that about 3,266 living Americans carry the surname Teske. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 104,946 residents.
How common is Teske?
Teske ranks #10,711 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.95 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 2,848 people with the surname Teske. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,266), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.95 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.95 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 Teske.
Has Teske become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Teske went from 2,975 recorded bearers to 2,848. That is a decrease of 127 (-4.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,731 to #10,711.
What does the Census say about the background of Teske?
Among Census respondents with the surname Teske, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Teske in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (2,679 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Teske appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Teske (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 Teske mean?
A surname of Polish origin, derived from the word "cieśla" meaning carpenter or woodworker. 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 Teske (0.95 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 many people have the surname Teske?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.