Explore the Family Name Pestana
The meaning of Pestana
Spanish (Pestaña); Portuguese: from Spanish pestaña, Portuguese pestana ‘eyelash’, also in the Middle Ages ‘eyebrow’, hence a nickname for someone who had long eyelashes or bushy eyebrows. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Luis, Alberto, Alfredo, Armando, Eduardo, Fernando, Francisco, Manuel, Pedro, Alfonso, Amado. Portuguese Joao.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pestana in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Pestana has grown in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked 19,908 in popularity and rose to a rank of 19,152 in 2010, indicating a growth rate of 3.8%. The total count of people with the Pestana surname also increased from 1,248 to 1,418 during that decade, marking a significant rise of 13.62%. Equally, the proportion per 100k people reflected this upward trend, going from 0.46 to 0.48, a positive change of 4.35%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #19,908 | #19,152 | 3.8% |
| Count | 1,248 | 1,418 | 13.62% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.46 | 0.48 | 4.35% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pestana
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Pestana saw interesting shifts over the same period as well, as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. The percentage of people identifying as Hispanic increased from 24.44% to 28.70%, an increase of 17.43%. Meanwhile, those identifying as White decreased slightly from 62.34% to 58.74%. The ethnicity percentages for Asian/Pacific Islander also rose modestly from 5.13% to 5.57%. Interestingly, there was a small but notable appearance of Black ethnicity at 2.19% in 2010 where there was none recorded in 2000. Similarly, American Indian and Alaskan Native showed up at 0.42% in 2010. However, the percentage of people identifying with two or more races saw a decrease from 6.65% to 4.37%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 62.34% | 58.74% | -5.77% |
| Hispanic | 24.44% | 28.7% | 17.43% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.13% | 5.57% | 8.58% |
| Two or More Races | 6.65% | 4.37% | -34.29% |
| Black | 0% | 2.19% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.42% | 0% |