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

Zeinstra, 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 Zeinstra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeinstra in America

Zeinstra is the 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeinstra surname appeared 113 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 Zeinstra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeinstra 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 Zeinstra

The surname Zeinstra finds its origins in the Netherlands, with a particular concentration in the northern provinces of Friesland and Groningen. This surname likely emerged in the late Middle Ages, a time of significant population growth and the establishment of surnames for identification.

Zeinstra is a classic example of a Frisian name, characterized by the suffix '-stra', which typically denotes geographical or locational origins. In Frisian, '-stra' is similar to '-son' in English and often translates to "from" or "of." The prefix 'Zein' could be rooted in a place name or a personal name that has since become obscure. Older spellings of the surname, such as Zeinster or Zeinstera, may be found in historical records.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in a 16th-century Friesland municipal registry, which lists a Jan Zeinstra as a landowner in the region. This suggests the name was well established by the 1500s, associated with property and lineage.

The name Zeinstra appears in various historical documents. In the early 17th century, a Pieter Zeinstra was recorded in marriage records from Leeuwarden, indicating the surname's spread among different towns in the Frisian area. Another notable mention is a 1743 maritime record listing Albert Zeinstra as the captain of a trading vessel, highlighting the family’s involvement in regional trade.

During the 19th century, Hidde Zeinstra gained modest fame for his participation in the early development of Friesland's agricultural cooperatives. His innovative approaches to farming and dairy production contributed to significant economic advancements in the region. Hidde was born in 1821 and passed away in 1888.

Further into the 20th century, the name gained prominence through sports, notably with Jeen Zeinstra, a competitive skater who represented the Netherlands in multiple events. Born in 1956, Jeen Zeinstra continues to be recognized for his contributions to Dutch speed skating.

Lastly, the academic world saw contributions from Jitse Zeinstra, a notable historian born in 1948 who specialized in medieval Frisian history. Jitse's extensive research offered valuable insights into the cultural and societal structures of the region during the Middle Ages, cementing the Zeinstra name as one associated with scholarly excellence.

The surname Zeinstra reflects a deep connection to the Frisian heritage and continues to be a symbol of the region's rich cultural history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeinstra

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

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

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

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