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

Dame, 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 Dame surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dame in America

Dame is the 8971st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dame surname appeared 3,647 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dame.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dame 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 Dame

The surname Dame originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "dame," meaning "lady" or "dame." This word ultimately comes from the Latin "domina," which means "mistress" or "lady of the house."

The name was likely originally a descriptive surname given to a woman of high social status or one who held a respectable position in a household or community. It may have also been used as a nickname or term of respect for an older woman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dame is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Dama," which was the Norman French spelling of the word.

In the 12th century, the name is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, where a person named Thomas Dame is mentioned. This indicates that the surname had spread to England by this time.

During the Middle Ages, the name Dame was also associated with various place names in France and England. For example, there was a village called Dame-Marie in Normandy, France, and a hamlet called Dame Enderby in Lincolnshire, England.

One notable historical figure with the surname Dame was John Dame (c. 1530-1611), an English clergyman and scholar. He was a Fellow of Cambridge University and served as the rector of several parishes in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Another famous bearer of the name was Michael Dame (1679-1753), an American silversmith and engraver who was active in Boston during the colonial era. He was known for his intricate and detailed metalwork, which included silver plates, cups, and other household items.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the surname Dame was William Dame (1806-1867), an English architect and surveyor. He was involved in the construction of several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House and the National Gallery.

Lastly, one cannot overlook Edith Dame (1857-1943), an American author and feminist activist. She wrote several books and articles advocating for women's rights and was involved in various social and political movements of her time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dame

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

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

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

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