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

Dandy, 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 Dandy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dandy in America

Dandy is the 18609th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dandy surname appeared 1,480 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 Dandy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dandy 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 Dandy

The surname Dandy is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "dendy," which referred to a proud or arrogant person. This term likely evolved from the Old French word "dandi," meaning a man who pays excessive attention to his appearance.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Dandy can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex, dated 1230, where a person named William Dandi is listed. This suggests that the surname had already been established by the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the name Dandy appeared in various historical records across England. Notably, a Robert Dandy was mentioned in the Parish Registers of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, in 1558. The surname was also found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Essex in 1670, indicating its presence in that region.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Dandy gained popularity and was associated with fashionable and stylish individuals. One notable bearer of the surname was Charles Dandy (1770-1832), an English artist and engraver known for his portraits of high society figures.

Another prominent individual with the surname Dandy was Walter Dandy (1886-1946), an American neurosurgeon renowned for his contributions to the field of brain surgery. He pioneered techniques for treating brain tumors and developed innovative surgical instruments.

In the literary world, William Dandy (1752-1820) was an English poet and playwright. He is best known for his satirical works, including "The Newgate Calendar" and "The Travels of Tristram Shandy."

Moving into the 19th century, Edward Dandy (1819-1898) was a British architect who designed notable buildings in London, such as the Royal Albert Hall and the Grosvenor Hotel.

Lastly, John Dandy (1921-2008) was a British actor and comedian, famous for his appearances in television shows like "Steptoe and Son" and "Fawlty Towers."

Throughout its history, the surname Dandy has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, the village of Dandy in Derbyshire, England, may have influenced the surname's development. Additionally, variations like Dandye, Dandee, and Dandier have been documented in historical records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dandy

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

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

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

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