Explore the Family Name Roster
The meaning of Roster
1. German (also Röster): occupational name for a lime burner, smelter, or blacksmith, a variant of Rost 2, with the addition of the agent suffix -er. 2. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic; also Röster): variant of Rost 3, with the addition of the agent suffix -er (compare 1 above). 3. English: commonly a shortened form of Rossiter. 4. English: in the West Midlands likely a habitational name from Rocester (Staffordshire), pronounced like the word roaster, probably from Old English rūh ‘rough’ + ceaster ‘old (Roman) fortification’. Alternatively, the name may arise from Wroxeter (Shropshire), but this is a doubtful explanation as no medieval evidence has been found of a surname derived from this place. Wroxeter, on the site of a former Roman town, is named with Old English ceaster ‘city, fortified town’, which has been added to a pre-existing Brittonic name for it, perhaps Viriconion ‘the town of a man named Virico’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Roster in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Roster showed a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname fell from 40,833 to 58,481, marking a decline of approximately 43.22%. Similarly, the count of individuals with the Roster surname dropped from 504 to 347, which corresponds to a decrease of 31.15%. Furthermore, the proportion of people named Roster per 100,000 individuals also saw a reduction from 0.19 to 0.12, representing a 36.84% drop.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #40,833 | #58,481 | -43.22% |
| Count | 504 | 347 | -31.15% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.12 | -36.84% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Roster
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates a slight shift in the distribution for the surname Roster. For instance, there was an increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races, growing from 0.99% to 1.44%, an increase of 45.45%. However, those claiming white ethnic identity decreased slightly from 89.48% to 87.32%, a change of -2.41%. The Hispanic population with the surname Roster also saw a reduction from 1.98% to 1.73%. The black community using this surname saw a slight rise from 7.34% to 7.78%. No change was reported among individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicity.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.48% | 87.32% | -2.41% |
| Black | 7.34% | 7.78% | 5.99% |
| Hispanic | 1.98% | 1.73% | -12.63% |
| Two or More Races | 0.99% | 1.44% | 45.45% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |