Dafoe
A topographic surname derived from a French place name meaning 'the beech grove'.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 857 Americans carry the last name Dafoe. That puts it at #31,251 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.25 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 399,947 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dafoe surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
857
1 in 399,947
Census rank
#31,251
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
742
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 742 bearers of the surname Dafoe in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.25 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 31251st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dafoe, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dafoe
The surname DAFOE has its origins in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the 12th or 13th century, derived from the Old French word "defois," which means "outside" or "beyond the boundaries." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived on the outskirts of a town or village.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Bertin," a medieval manuscript dating back to the late 12th century. This document mentions a person named "Willelmus de Foys," whose name is likely an early variation of DAFOE.
The name DAFOE has also been linked to various place names in France, such as the village of Foy or Foix. It is possible that the surname originated from these locations, with the prefix "de" indicating someone who hailed from or lived in these areas.
In the 14th century, the name appears in records from the region of Normandy, where a certain "Jehan Dafoe" is mentioned in a document dated 1347. This particular spelling of the name suggests that it had evolved from its earlier forms by this time.
One notable individual bearing the surname DAFOE was Willem Dafoe, a Dutch-American actor born in 1955. He is known for his roles in films such as "Platoon," "The Last Temptation of Christ," and "Spider-Man." Other famous people with this last name include:
1. Robert Dafoe (1910-1983), a Canadian politician and lawyer.
2. John Dafoe (1866-1944), a Canadian journalist and editor of the Winnipeg Free Press.
3. Edith Dafoe (1883-1963), a Canadian novelist and short story writer.
4. Christophe Dafoe (born 1978), a French professional basketball player.
5. Joseph Dafoe (1921-2009), an American politician and legislator from Ohio.
While the surname DAFOE may have originated in France, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, where many descendants of French immigrants have carried on this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dafoe
Among Census respondents with the surname Dafoe, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Dafoe bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Dafoe surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.8%
- Hispanic or Latino1.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Dafoe surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,251 | #31,251 | 0.0% |
| Count | 742 | 742 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Dafoe bearers went from 742 to 742 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #31,251 to #31,251.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Dafoe
FAQ
Dafoe surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Dafoe?
The surname Dafoe holds position #31,251 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 857 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.25 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Dafoe surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dafoe, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.4%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.