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

Westra, 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 Westra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Westra in America

Westra is the 13874th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Westra surname appeared 2,177 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 Westra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Westra 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 Westra

The surname Westra originates from the Netherlands, specifically the northern province of Friesland. It likely emerged sometime in the 16th or 17th century. The name is derived from the Frisian word "westra," meaning "western," which suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname lived in an area west of a particular town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Westra name can be found in the Dutch archives from the late 16th century. The spelling variations at that time included Westra, Weestra, and Weststra. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

The Westra surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest known bearers was Pieter Jansz Westra, a Dutch naval officer born in 1597. He played a significant role in the Dutch East India Company's maritime operations in the early 17th century.

Another notable figure was Sytse Westra, a Frisian poet and teacher who lived from 1677 to 1738. His poetry, written in the Frisian language, was instrumental in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Friesland during a time when Dutch was becoming the predominant language.

In the 19th century, Tjerk Westra (1831-1911) was a prominent Frisian politician and lawyer. He served as a member of the Provincial States of Friesland and played a crucial role in advocating for the rights and recognition of the Frisian language and culture.

The Westra surname has also been associated with several places in the Netherlands, such as Westra-Ternaardt, a village in the municipality of Littenseradiel, and Westra-Huizum, a village in the municipality of Leeuwarden. These place names likely originated from the presence of families bearing the Westra surname in those areas.

In more recent times, Douwe Westra (1924-2015) was a renowned Frisian writer and journalist. He was best known for his novels and short stories that explored the lives and experiences of the Frisian people, contributing significantly to the preservation of Frisian literature and cultural identity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Westra

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

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

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

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