2000
#4,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,543
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.43
Rare Last name
Kester
An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of a cheese strainer or sieve.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,114 Americans carry the last name Kester. That puts it at #5,431 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 48,180 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kester 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Kester with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.1K
1 in 48,180
Census rank
#5,431
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,204 bearers of the surname Kester in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5431st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kester, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kester
The surname Kester originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "cester," which means "a dweller of a Roman town or village." This suggests that the name was initially given to people who lived in or near the remains of Roman settlements.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Kestere." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a survey of land holdings in England, and it provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that time.
In the 12th century, the name appeared in various records as "Kestere" and "Kesteir." These variations reflect the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. Notably, the surname is often associated with place names containing the word "cester," such as Leicester, Manchester, and Worcester.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kester was John Kester, born around 1320 in Leicestershire, England. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the local council.
Another notable figure was William Kester, born in 1445 in Worcestershire, England. He was a respected scholar and theologian who taught at the University of Oxford.
In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with Sir Thomas Kester, born in 1520 in Cheshire, England. He was a successful merchant and served as the Mayor of Chester from 1568 to 1569.
During the 17th century, the surname Kester appeared in various records across England. One notable individual was Robert Kester, born in 1642 in Manchester. He was a prominent Puritan minister and author of several religious works.
In the 18th century, the name Kester was associated with John Kester, born in 1712 in Yorkshire, England. He was a renowned mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Kester who have left their mark throughout history. The name's origins can be traced back to medieval England, and it has been carried by notable figures across various fields over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kester
Among Census respondents with the surname Kester, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Kester 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 Kester surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 5,634
- Two or more races3.4% · 209
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 201
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 65
- Black or African American0.8% · 48
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 47
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kester
Kester 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
#4,870
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,237
+694 bearers (+10.6%)
Per 100,000 2.45
Rank movement Up 65 places
2020
#5,431
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,204
-1,033 bearers (-14.3%)
Per 100,000 2.08
Rank movement Down 561 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,935 | 6,543 | 2.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,870 | 7,237 | 2.45 | +694 bearers (+10.6%) | Up 65 places |
| 2020 | #5,431 | 6,204 | 2.08 | -1,033 bearers (-14.3%) | Down 561 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 Kester 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 | #4,870 | #5,431 | -11.5% |
| Count | 7,237 | 6,204 | -14.3% |
| Per 100K | 2.45 | 2.08 | -15.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kester bearers went from 7,237 to 6,204 (-14.3% change). The surname moved down 561 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,870 to #5,431.
FAQ
Kester surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kester?
Name Census estimates that about 7,114 living Americans carry the surname Kester. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 48,180 residents.
How common is Kester?
Kester ranks #5,431 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,204 people with the surname Kester. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Kester.
Has Kester become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kester went from 7,237 recorded bearers to 6,204. That is a decrease of 1,033 (-14.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,870 to #5,431.
What does the Census say about the background of Kester?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kester, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Kester in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (5,634 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kester appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Kester (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 Kester mean?
An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of a cheese strainer or sieve. 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 Kester (2.08 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 Americans have the surname Kester?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.