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

Dally, 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 Dally surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dally in America

Dally is the 21371st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dally surname appeared 1,225 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 Dally.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dally to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Dally

The surname Dally is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval era, specifically the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dalian," which means "to delay" or "to linger." This suggests that the name may have been given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as being slow or leisurely in their actions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dally can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1202, where a certain William Dally is mentioned. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273 contain a reference to a Roger Dally, indicating the name's presence in different regions of England during that time period.

The Dally surname is also thought to have a connection to certain place names in England, such as Dally, a small hamlet in Derbyshire. It is possible that the name originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who hailed from or resided in that particular area.

In the 14th century, a prominent figure with the surname Dally was John Dally, a merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Norwich. He is mentioned in various legal records and documents from that era, suggesting his influential status within the local community.

Another notable individual was Sir Thomas Dally, a military officer who served under King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War. He fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and was knighted for his bravery and service to the crown.

During the 16th century, the surname Dally gained further recognition with the birth of William Dally (1508-1589), a renowned English scholar and theologian. He was a fellow at Oxford University and played a significant role in the Reformation movement in England.

In the 18th century, the Dally surname was carried by James Dally (1726-1805), a successful merchant and entrepreneur who established a thriving trade business in the city of Bristol. His wealth and influence allowed him to acquire substantial land holdings and properties in the region.

The 19th century saw the birth of Arthur Dally (1845-1912), a distinguished author and historian who wrote extensively on the subject of English literature and culture. His works, such as "The Literature of the Victorian Era" and "A History of the English Novel," were widely acclaimed and contributed to the understanding of the literary landscape of that period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dally

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

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 Dally 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Dally has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Dally was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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