Explore the Family Name Custer
The meaning of Custer
1. Americanized form of German Köster or Küster ‘sexton’ (see Kuster 1). 2. Swiss German: variant of Kuster. 3. English and Scottish (of Norman origin): occupational name from Old French coustier (masculine), coustiere (feminine), for a maker of feather beds or cushions. 4. English: variant of Coster. 5. In some cases also an Americanized form of Croatian and Slovenian Kušter or Kuster. History: The American military officer George Custer (1839–76) was a descendant of a German officer from Hesse by the name of Küster.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Custer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Custer has seen fluctuations in its popularity over time. In 2000, Custer was ranked as the 3110th most common surname, but by 2010 it had slipped to the 3324th rank, representing a decrease of 6.88%. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual number of people with the Custer surname increased slightly from 10,684 to 10,790, a modest growth of 0.99%. The proportion of individuals named Custer per 100,000 people also decreased, dropping from 3.96 in 2000 to 3.66 in 2010, marking a reduction of 7.58%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,110 | #3,324 | -6.88% |
| Count | 10,684 | 10,790 | 0.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.96 | 3.66 | -7.58% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Custer
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Custer also experienced changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The highest percentage of individuals with this surname identified as White, at 94.66% in 2000 and 93.41% in 2010 – a slight decrease of 1.32%. The ethnicity seeing the greatest increase within this surname was Hispanic, growing by 61.86% over the decade. There was also notable growth amongst those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (22.00%) and those of two or more races (26.27%). The percentage of Custers identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native saw little change, with only marginal decreases and increases respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.66% | 93.41% | -1.32% |
| Hispanic | 1.18% | 1.91% | 61.86% |
| Black | 1.59% | 1.57% | -1.26% |
| Two or More Races | 1.18% | 1.49% | 26.27% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.89% | 1.01% | 13.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.5% | 0.61% | 22% |
Custer ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Custer is British & Irish, which comprises 44.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (36.0%) and Eastern European (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.6% |
| French & German | 36.0% |
| Eastern European | 4.6% |
| Other | 14.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Custer
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Custer have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 93.00% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 92.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 92.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 92.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 92.20% |
What Custer haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Custer is I-CTS10057, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-CTS10057 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-L165 and I-M223, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ralston, Rader, Buell, Keeler, Kester, Whittle, Riddle, Babbitt, Kurz, Swan.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Custer surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Custer have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Custer" Surname 46.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Custer" Surname 21.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Custer" Surname 14.3%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Custer" Surname 18.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Custer?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Custer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition