2000
#26,672
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 859
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.32
Very Rare Last name
Hestand
A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "heh" (high) and "stede" (place or location).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 894 Americans carry the last name Hestand. That puts it at #31,754 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 383,394 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hestand 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
894
1 in 383,394
Census rank
#31,754
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
780
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 780 bearers of the surname Hestand in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 31754th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hestand, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hestand
The surname HESTAND is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "hest," which means "behest" or "command." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who held positions of authority or carried out important tasks under orders.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HESTAND can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and property holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Hestand in the county of Somerset, indicating the name's presence in the region during the late 11th century.
The HESTAND surname has undergone various spelling variations throughout history, including Hestant, Hestond, and Hestund. These variations reflect the changes in language and pronunciation over time, as well as regional differences in dialect.
In the 13th century, records show a notable figure named John HESTAND, born in 1247 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a respected landowner and local magistrate who played a significant role in the administration of his region.
During the 15th century, the HESTAND family appeared to have established roots in the county of Norfolk, where they held land and property. A notable member of this branch was Sir William HESTAND, born in 1462, who served as a knight under King Henry VII and participated in the Battle of Stoke Field in 1487.
In the 16th century, the HESTAND surname spread beyond England, with records indicating its presence in Scotland and Ireland. One notable individual was Mary HESTAND, born in 1532 in Inverness, Scotland. She was a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation and a staunch supporter of the Protestant cause.
As the HESTAND name continued to evolve, it also encountered variations in spelling, such as Hestande and Hestant. These variations were often influenced by regional accents and dialects, as well as the personal preferences of individual families.
In the 17th century, the HESTAND surname gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of Robert HESTAND in 1623 in Yorkshire, England. He was a celebrated poet and playwright during the English Renaissance, known for his works that explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
As the centuries progressed, the HESTAND surname continued to be represented across various fields and professions. Notable individuals include Sir John HESTAND (1756-1832), a renowned military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars, and Elizabeth HESTAND (1804-1876), a pioneering educator who founded one of the first schools for girls in London.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hestand
Among Census respondents with the surname Hestand, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Hestand 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 Hestand surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 709
- Two or more races4.2% · 33
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 31
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hestand
Hestand 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
#29,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 805
-54 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.27
Rank movement Down 2,694 places
2020
#31,754
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 780
-25 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 2,388 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #26,672 | 859 | 0.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #29,366 | 805 | 0.27 | -54 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 2,694 places |
| 2020 | #31,754 | 780 | 0.26 | -25 bearers (-3.1%) | Down 2,388 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 Hestand 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 | #29,366 | #31,754 | -8.1% |
| Count | 805 | 780 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.27 | 0.26 | -3.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hestand bearers went from 805 to 780 (-3.1% change). The surname moved down 2,388 positions in the national ranking, going from #29,366 to #31,754.
FAQ
Hestand surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hestand?
Name Census estimates that about 894 living Americans carry the surname Hestand. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 383,394 residents.
How common is Hestand?
Hestand ranks #31,754 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.26 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 780 people with the surname Hestand. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (894), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.26 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 Hestand.
Has Hestand become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hestand went from 805 recorded bearers to 780. That is a decrease of 25 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #29,366 to #31,754.
What does the Census say about the background of Hestand?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hestand, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Hestand in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (709 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hestand appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Hispanic (4.0%). 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 Hestand (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 Hestand mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "heh" (high) and "stede" (place or location). 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 Hestand (0.26 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 common is the surname Hestand?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Hestand on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.