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

Winterstein, 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 Winterstein surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Winterstein in America

Winterstein is the 37792nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Winterstein surname appeared 588 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 Winterstein.

We can also compare 2010 data for Winterstein 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 Winterstein

The surname Winterstein has its roots in German-speaking regions of Europe, emerging prominently during the medieval period. The name is composed of two elements: "Winter," referring to the cold season, and "Stein," meaning stone or rock in German. The combination suggests a geographical origin, potentially describing a place characterized by cold, rocky terrain.

Winterstein primarily originates from the Germanic regions, specifically areas that are now part of modern-day Germany and Switzerland. The name is considered to be toponymic, derived from a particular place or landscape feature known to the people living there. Early records indicate that Winterstein was used to describe someone originating from a location marked by these natural features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 13th century. Manuscripts from this period mention a Hermann von Winterstein, a landowner in the region of Thuringia, Germany. This early use underscores the surname’s association with specific places and terrains. The name can also be found in various medieval documents and records held in the archives of German cities, particularly highlighting its spread across central Europe.

The name Winterstein appears in several historical documents over the centuries. There is a notable reference to a Johann Winterstein, born in 1423, who was recorded as a merchant in Frankfurt. His name appears in trade records, which indicate that he played a significant role in regional commerce during this period. This demonstrates the surname's presence in the economic activities of medieval Germany.

In the 16th century, another significant figure with this surname was Albrecht Winterstein, born in 1542, who served as a mayor in the town of Augsburg. His role in local government shows that individuals with this surname were active in both civic and political spheres. Records from Augsburg during this time period detail his contributions to the development of local infrastructure and governance.

The surname Winterstein appears in various forms in old records. Obsolete spellings like Wintersteyn or Winterstine can be found in archival documents, reflecting the phonetic spellings of earlier times. These variations highlight the evolution of the name’s spelling over the centuries, influenced by regional dialects and orthographic practices.

One more prominent figure bearing this surname was Karl Winterstein, a noted scholar born in 1784, who made significant contributions to early German literature and philosophy. His written works remain part of academic study, underscoring the surname's connection to intellectual pursuits.

Finally, we must mention Lotte Winterstein, born in 1867, who was a significant figure in the women’s rights movement in Germany. Her advocacy for social reforms and gender equality brought considerable attention to the Winterstein name in the context of social activism.

Thus, the surname Winterstein carries with it a rich legacy tied to the landscapes of central Europe, appearing in various important roles throughout history from medieval times to the modern era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Winterstein

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

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

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

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