2000
#86,992
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 199
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Elsten
A surname possibly derived from a contracted form of a place name with "Ell" or "Els" in it.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 247 Americans carry the last name Elsten. That puts it at #91,884 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,387,669 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Elsten 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
247
1 in 1,387,669
Census rank
#91,884
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
215
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 215 bearers of the surname Elsten in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 91884th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Elsten, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Elsten
The surname ELSTEN is of English origin, originating in the county of Yorkshire during the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "el" meaning "eel" and "stān" meaning "stone," suggesting a connection to a place where eels were found near a stony area or stream.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ELSTEN can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, where a Robert de Elstan is mentioned as a landowner. This indicates that the name was already established in the region during that time.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms in historical records, such as Elstan, Elstane, and Elstain, reflecting the phonetic changes and spelling variations common in those times. One notable figure from this era was Sir John Elsten, a knight who fought alongside Edward III during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453).
During the Tudor period (1485-1603), the name ELSTEN gained prominence in the city of York, where several families bearing the surname held influential positions. William Elsten (1525-1598), a successful merchant and alderman, is mentioned in the city's records as a prominent figure in the local community.
In the 17th century, the ELSTEN family had a presence in the county of Lincolnshire, where they owned land and estates. One notable member was Thomas Elsten (1628-1692), a respected landowner and justice of the peace whose name appears in various legal documents of the time.
In the 18th century, the ELSTEN surname spread to other parts of England, including the county of Derbyshire. A notable figure from this period was Reverend Samuel Elsten (1745-1812), an esteemed clergyman and scholar who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Derby.
While the name ELSTEN is not as common today, it has left a lasting legacy in various parts of England, where it can be traced back through historical records, land ownership, and notable individuals who contributed to the rich tapestry of British history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Elsten
Among Census respondents with the surname Elsten, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Elsten 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 Elsten surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.2% · 196
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 10
- Two or more races2.8% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Elsten
Elsten 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
#86,645
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 215
+16 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 347 places
2020
#91,884
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 215
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 5,239 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #86,992 | 199 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #86,645 | 215 | 0.07 | +16 bearers (+8.0%) | Up 347 places |
| 2020 | #91,884 | 215 | 0.07 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 5,239 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 Elsten 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 | #86,645 | #91,884 | -6.0% |
| Count | 215 | 215 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.07 | 2.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Elsten bearers went from 215 to 215 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 5,239 positions in the national ranking, going from #86,645 to #91,884.
FAQ
Elsten surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Elsten?
Name Census estimates that about 247 living Americans carry the surname Elsten. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,387,669 residents.
How common is Elsten?
Elsten ranks #91,884 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 215 people with the surname Elsten. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (247), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Elsten.
Has Elsten become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Elsten went from 215 recorded bearers to 215. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #86,645 to #91,884.
What does the Census say about the background of Elsten?
Among Census respondents with the surname Elsten, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Elsten in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.2% (196 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Elsten appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.2%), Hispanic (4.7%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Elsten (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 Elsten mean?
A surname possibly derived from a contracted form of a place name with "Ell" or "Els" in it. 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 Elsten (0.07 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 are called Elsten?
See how many people have the surname Elsten on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.