Explore the Family Name Westby
The meaning of Westby
1. English: habitational name from any of various places called Westby, for example in Lancashire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire, all named with Old Norse vestr ‘west, western’ + bý ‘farmstead, village’. 2. Norwegian: habitational name from any of twenty or more farmsteads, mainly in southeastern Norway, named in Old Norse as Vestbýr, a compound Old Norse vestr ‘west’ + býr ‘settlement’. Compare 1 above. 3. Swedish: habitational or ornamental name of the same etymology as 2 above. Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Selmer, Alf, Erik, Eyvind, Knut, Mauritz, Orvald, Thor.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Westby in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Westby has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 14,091st most common surname and by 2010, it dropped to the 14,706th spot, marking a decrease of 4.36%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of people with the Westby surname increased from 1,960 to 2,021 during the same period, showing a growth of 3.11%. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a decrease from 0.73 to 0.69, indicating a 5.48% negative change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,091 | #14,706 | -4.36% |
| Count | 1,960 | 2,021 | 3.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.73 | 0.69 | -5.48% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Westby
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts for the Westby surname between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 50%, from 0.56% to 0.84%. There was also a rise in the number of individuals identifying as Hispanic (2.91% to 4.90%) and Black (6.48% to 8.36%). Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw an increase from 0.26% to 0.49%. Meanwhile, there were decreases for those identifying as White (86.94% to 84.02%) and those reporting two or more races (2.86% to 1.39%).
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.94% | 84.02% | -3.36% |
| Black | 6.48% | 8.36% | 29.01% |
| Hispanic | 2.91% | 4.9% | 68.38% |
| Two or More Races | 2.86% | 1.39% | -51.4% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.56% | 0.84% | 50% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0.49% | 88.46% |