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

Tester, 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 Tester surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tester in America

Tester is the 7663rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tester surname appeared 4,334 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 Tester.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tester 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 Tester

The surname Tester has its origins in medieval England, tracing back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "tæstan," meaning "to test or examine." This suggests that the name was likely an occupational surname given to individuals whose profession involved testing or inspecting goods or materials.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tester can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a John le Tester is mentioned. This reference indicates that the name was already in use during the 13th century and further supports its occupational origins.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in various records across England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1427, which lists a Thomas Tester. The name also surfaces in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1487, mentioning a William Tester.

During the 16th century, the surname Tester became more widespread, with notable individuals such as John Tester, a clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Lewes from 1561 to 1573. Another notable figure was Richard Tester, a merchant from London who was born around 1520 and dealt in the wool trade.

The 17th century brought forth several prominent individuals bearing the Tester surname. One such person was Thomas Tester, a renowned mathematician and astronomer who was born in 1608 and made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. Another notable figure was William Tester, a scholar and author who published works on theology and philosophy in the late 1600s.

In the 18th century, the Tester surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with records showing individuals like John Tester, a landowner and farmer from Warwickshire, born in 1712. Additionally, there was Robert Tester, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, who was active in the early 1700s.

As the name spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to North America through immigration. One notable American with the Tester surname was Samuel Tester, a Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia who fought in the Battle of Brandywine in 1777.

Throughout its history, the surname Tester has been associated with various occupations, from clergymen and scholars to merchants and farmers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and pursuits of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tester

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

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

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

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