Explore the Family Name Tristan
The meaning of Tristan
Spanish (Tristán) and French: from the medieval personal name Tristán, Tristan, derived from a British Celtic legend which became incorporated into the Arthurian cycle as the story of Tristan and Iseult. The name is of unknown derivation. It was transmitted through Old French and became associated by folk etymology with Latin tristis ‘sad’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Juan, Guadalupe, Carlos, Pablo, Andres, Jesus, Sergio, Angel, Diego, Domingo, Felipe.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Tristan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Tristan has seen a significant increase in popularity within the United States over the past decade. In the year 2000, Tristan was ranked as the 8586th most common surname, with a count of 3528 individuals bearing the name nationally. By 2010, however, Tristan had risen to the 7199th rank, an impressive leap of 16.15%. This surge is further reflected in the count of people with the surname Tristan, which rose by 31.58% to 4642 individuals. The presence of this surname also increased from 1.31 per 100k individuals in 2000 to 1.57 per 100k in 2010, showing a growth of 19.85%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,586 | #7,199 | 16.15% |
| Count | 3,528 | 4,642 | 31.58% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.31 | 1.57 | 19.85% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tristan
When it comes to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts among those who bear the Tristan surname between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander more than doubled, increasing by 146.43%, while those identifying as Black grew by 60.44%. Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native rose by 35.71%. On the other hand, there was a slight decrease of 2.47% among those identifying as Hispanic and a decrease of 27.69% in the category of two or more races. However, the majority of individuals with the Tristan surname identified as Hispanic (81.80%) and White (15.38%) in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 83.87% | 81.8% | -2.47% |
| White | 14.14% | 15.38% | 8.77% |
| Black | 0.91% | 1.46% | 60.44% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.28% | 0.69% | 146.43% |
| Two or More Races | 0.65% | 0.47% | -27.69% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.14% | 0.19% | 35.71% |