Meaning and origin
The last name Estes has its origins in medieval England and France. It is believed to derive from the Old French word "estaise," meaning "dweller on the boundaries." This name likely began as a locational surname, indicating someone who lived near or on the borders of a town or village. Over time, variations of the name emerged, including Estys, Estis, and Estize, before settling on the modern spelling of Estes. The surname Estes is predominantly found in English-speaking countries, particularly the United States, where it was likely brought by early settlers.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#956
Estes was the 956th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 36,318 people, about 12 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Estes
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Estes is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.