Explore the Family Name Ballester
The meaning of Ballester
1. Catalan: occupational name for a maker of crossbows or a soldier armed with a crossbow, from Catalan ballester ‘crossbowman’ or ‘crossbow maker’, an agent derivative of ballesta ‘crossbow’ (from Latin ballista ‘(military) catapult’). 2. English (of Norman origin): variant of Arblaster, an occupational name cognate with 1 above, from Anglo-Norman French alblaster, arblaster, Old French arbalestier, arbelestier ‘soldier armed with a crossbow; arbalest’. Compare Balster. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Ricardo, Jose, Luis, Domingo, Jorge, Juan, Magda, Pilar, Roberto, Ana, Andres, Aura.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ballester in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Ballester has seen a rise in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 27,258th in popularity with 834 individuals carrying the name for every 100,000 people. By 2010, the rank had increased to 26,534 with a count of 919, marking a 10.19% increase in its usage. Despite the increase in count, the proportion per 100,000 people remained stable at 0.31.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,258 | #26,534 | 2.66% |
| Count | 834 | 919 | 10.19% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ballester
As per data from the Decennial U.S. Census regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Ballester, there have been some significant shifts between 2000 and 2010. The Hispanic ethnicity experienced an increase of almost 8%, rising from 75.3% to 81.28%. Conversely, the percentage of Whites with this surname decreased by more than a quarter, from 22.06% to 16.1%. Representation from the Asian/Pacific Islander community also grew markedly, nearly doubling from 0.84% to 1.63%. The number of people identifying as two or more races saw a decrease, dropping from 1.2% to 0.54%. There were no recorded instances of this surname among the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native communities.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 75.3% | 81.28% | 7.94% |
| White | 22.06% | 16.1% | -27.02% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.84% | 1.63% | 94.05% |
| Two or More Races | 1.2% | 0.54% | -55% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |