Find out how popular the last name Dala is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Dala.

Dala, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Dala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dala in America

Dala is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dala surname appeared 115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dala.

The history of the last name Dala

The surname DALA is believed to have originated in Sweden. It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "dalr", meaning "valley" or "dale". The earliest known references to the surname date back to the 16th century in various parts of Sweden, particularly in the regions of Dalarna and Värmland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DALA can be found in the church records of Mora, Dalarna, from the year 1589, where a man named Olof Dala is mentioned. It is likely that the surname was initially used to identify individuals who lived in or near a particular valley or dale.

In the 17th century, the surname DALA appeared in various historical documents, including tax records and census records. For example, in the year 1642, a man named Jon Dala was listed as a landowner in the parish of Grangärde, Dalarna.

A notable historical figure with the surname DALA was Carl Dala (1784-1858), a Swedish painter and illustrator who is best known for his depictions of rural life in Sweden. His works provided valuable insights into the daily lives and traditions of the Swedish people during the 19th century.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Nils Dala (1817-1892), a Swedish farmer and politician who served as a member of the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament) from 1867 to 1884. He played a significant role in advocating for the rights of farmers and rural communities.

In the early 20th century, the surname DALA gained recognition through the work of Anders Dala (1890-1968), a Swedish sculptor and woodcarver. His intricate woodcarvings, particularly those depicting traditional Swedish motifs, were highly acclaimed and are now considered part of Sweden's cultural heritage.

Historically, variations of the surname DALA have included Dahlberg, which literally means "valley mountain", and Dalenius, a Latinized form often used by Swedish academics and clergy in the 17th and 18th centuries.

While the surname DALA is most prevalent in Sweden, it has also been found in other Scandinavian countries, as well as in areas with significant Swedish immigration, such as parts of the United States and Canada.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dala

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Dala.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Dala was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Dala was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dala, please contact us.

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