Explore the Family Name Caesar
The meaning of Caesar
1. English, African American, West Indian, Guyanese, and African (mainly Ghana): from a personal name or nickname based on the Roman surname of Gaius Julius Caesar (100–44 BC), Roman general and father (by adoption) of Augustus, the first Roman Emperor. It was associated by folk etymology in classical times with Latin caesaries ‘head of hair’, but is probably of Etruscan origin. After the spectacular success of Julius Caesar the name was adopted by his imperial successors, and eventually came to be taken as a generic title. It gave rise to vocabulary words meaning ‘emperor’ or ‘ruler’ in German (Kaiser), Russian (tsar), Czech (císař), Slovak (cisár), Slovenian (cesar), Hungarian (császár), Arabic (qayṣar), and other languages. As an English surname, it is derived from the name Cesar, rare in Middle English but found occasionally both as a personal name and as a surname. In North America, it can also be an Americanized form of cognates from other languages, for example Italian Cesare, Czech Císař (see Cisar), Hungarian Császár (see Csaszar), Slovenian Cesar and Časar (see Chasar). 2. German: humanistic name, re-translation into Latin of German Kaiser.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Caesar in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Caesar experienced a notable increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 9,348th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 9,013th position, marking a change of 3.58%. The number of people bearing the surname Caesar also increased during this period, with a count of 3,199 in 2000 rising to 3,628 in 2010, representing a significant jump of 13.41%. The proportion of Caesars per 100,000 residents saw a modest increase as well, moving from 1.19 in 2000 to 1.23 in 2010, which signifies a 3.36% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,348 | #9,013 | 3.58% |
| Count | 3,199 | 3,628 | 13.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.19 | 1.23 | 3.36% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Caesar
When it comes to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Caesar, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts between 2000 and 2010. In 2010, the majority of individuals with the surname identified as Black (59.12%), reflecting a slight increase from 58.11% in 2000. The percentage of Caesars identifying as White decreased by 8.56% over the decade, going from 32.23% to 29.47%. Notably, those associating with Hispanic ethnicity saw a substantial rise of 37.34%, increasing from 3.91% to 5.37%. There were minor changes in the proportions of Caesars identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those of two or more races, while the percentage of Caesars who identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native dropped slightly by 9.73%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 58.11% | 59.12% | 1.74% |
| White | 32.23% | 29.47% | -8.56% |
| Hispanic | 3.91% | 5.37% | 37.34% |
| Two or More Races | 3.25% | 3.39% | 4.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.38% | 1.63% | 18.12% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.13% | 1.02% | -9.73% |