2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zastera
A shortened form of a surname deriving from a place name or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Zastera. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zastera 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Zastera in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zastera, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zastera
The surname Zastera is of Czech origin, and its roots can be traced back to the late Middle Ages. The name likely emerged in the regions of Bohemia, a historical region that is now part of the Czech Republic. During this time period, it was common for surnames to be derived from a person's occupation, place of origin, or descriptive features. The name Zastera could be derived from an old Czech word that is no longer in common use, possibly related to a specific trade or characteristic.
One theory suggests that the surname Zastera has its roots in the Czech word "zástěra," which translates to "apron" in English. This implies that the original bearers of the name might have been associated with trades that typically required an apron, such as blacksmithing, baking, or other forms of craftsmanship. Records show that the name has appeared in various historical documents, though it is not as widely documented as some other surnames.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Zastera can be found in municipal records from the 15th century in the city of Prague. This documentation suggests that the family was established in the region by this time, indicating that they were likely well-integrated into the local community. Variations in the spelling of the name, such as Zástěra and Zastiera, have also been noted in older documents, reflecting the linguistic shifts and regional pronunciations over centuries.
One notable individual with the surname Zastera was Jakub Zastera, born in 1532 in Prague and known for his skills as a master blacksmith. His craftsmanship was highly regarded, and records from 1589 indicate that he was commissioned to work on the fortifications of Prague Castle. Another notable person was Katerina Zastera, born in 1578, who was known for her contributions to local textile craftsmanship in Bohemia.
During the 17th century, the Zastera family dispersed to various regions within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A prominent member of the family during this time was Ludvik Zastera, born in 1621, who became a notable figure in Moravia's local government. Records indicate that he played a vital role in the administration and governance of the region until his death in 1685.
In the 18th century, the surname appears again in historical records with Petr Zastera, born in 1703, who was a well-known agriculturalist in southern Bohemia. He made significant contributions to the development of farming techniques in the area and was respected for his innovations in sustainable agriculture. His works were documented in agricultural manuals of the time.
By the 19th century, the surname Zastera appeared in various other regions as members of the family migrated for economic opportunities. Jan Zastera, born in 1815, became known for his involvement in the early Czech nationalist movement, advocating for greater cultural and political recognition of Czech identity within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His patriotic writings and speeches were influential during this period.
Throughout its history, the surname Zastera has been associated with skilled trades and contributions to local communities, leaving a legacy that continues to be honored in historical records and family genealogies. The variations in spelling and documentation reflect the linguistic and regional diversity of the Czech lands over the centuries, making the Zastera surname a fascinating subject for onomatology studies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zastera
Among Census respondents with the surname Zastera, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Zastera 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 Zastera surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.5% · 115
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zastera
Zastera 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
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-4 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,904 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-3 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,207 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.2%) | Down 11,904 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 5,207 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 Zastera 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 | #138,304 | #143,511 | -3.8% |
| Count | 121 | 118 | -2.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zastera bearers went from 121 to 118 (-2.5% change). The surname moved down 5,207 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #143,511.
FAQ
Zastera surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zastera?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Zastera. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Zastera?
Zastera ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Zastera. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Zastera.
Has Zastera become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zastera went from 121 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #138,304 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Zastera?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zastera, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Zastera in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.5% (115 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zastera appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.5%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Zastera (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 Zastera mean?
A shortened form of a surname deriving from a place name or occupation. 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 Zastera (0.04 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 share the surname Zastera?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.