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

Wykstra, 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 Wykstra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wykstra in America

Wykstra is the 123796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wykstra surname appeared 139 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 Wykstra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wykstra 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 Wykstra

The surname Wykstra can trace its origins to the Netherlands, particularly within the Dutch-speaking regions of Friesland. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, when surnames began to be adopted systematically in Europe. The Frisian language and its dialects heavily influenced the region, and many surnames from Friesland contain elements of the local Frisian language.

Wykstra is believed to be derived from the old Frisian words "wyk," which can mean "neighborhood" or "district," and the suffix "-stra," which is a common Frisian suffix meaning "from" or "belonging to." Therefore, Wykstra likely originated as a toponymic surname, indicating someone who hailed from a particular neighborhood or district.

One of the earliest recorded references to this surname appears in the registers of Friesland and Groningen in the late 16th century. In the "Ommelander Archieven" (Archives of Ommenlands) from the year 1584, a Johannes Wykstra was mentioned as a landowner in the region of Friesland. This indicates that the family had established itself in the area and held some degree of prominence.

In the 17th century, the Wykstra name continued to appear in various regional documents. Jacob Wykstra, born in 1623 and died in 1699, was a noted member of his community and participated in local governance. These historical mentions suggest that the family was involved in civic duties and maintained a stable presence in Friesland through the 17th century.

Hendrik Wykstra, born in 1742 and died in 1810, was another notable figure, recognized for his contributions to agricultural innovations in Friesland. As Friesland underwent various economic transformations, the Wykstra family adapted and continued to thrive, ensuring their name persisted in local annals.

By the 19th century, members of the Wykstra family began to appear in the archives of emigration records as some migrated to other parts of the world. Jan Wykstra, born in 1821 and died in 1878, emigrated to the United States during the mid-19th century and settled in Michigan, becoming part of the wave of Dutch immigrants who contributed to the agricultural development of the Midwest.

Another significant individual was Reverend Pieter Wykstra, born in 1883 and died in 1962, who served as a prominent pastor in the Reformed Church in America. His leadership and community work left a lasting impact on the Dutch-American communities in the Northeastern United States.

Overall, the Wykstra name carries historical significance, tracing back to its Frisian origins and evolving through centuries of regional and global movements. Key figures throughout history have ensured the name's persistence and prominence in various societal domains.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wykstra

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

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

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

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