Danes
An ethnic surname derived from Denmark or denoting someone of Danish descent.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 720 Americans carry the last name Danes. That puts it at #36,630 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.21 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 476,048 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Danes 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
720
1 in 476,048
Census rank
#36,630
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
610
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 610 bearers of the surname Danes in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 36630th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Danes, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Danes
The surname DANES originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "Dene," which means "Dane" or "Danish." This name was likely given to someone who had Danish ancestry or who came from Denmark.
The earliest recorded instance of the name DANES can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dene." This suggests that the name was already in use in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066.
During the Middle Ages, the DANES surname was particularly common in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia. This region had strong connections with Denmark due to its proximity to the North Sea and its history of Danish settlement and invasion.
One notable early bearer of the name was Robert Danes, a 13th-century landowner in Norfolk who is mentioned in various medieval records. Another was John Danes, a 14th-century merchant from Norwich who was involved in the wool trade with the Netherlands.
In the 15th century, the DANES surname appears in the records of the University of Cambridge, with several students and scholars bearing the name. One example is William Danes, who was a fellow of Peterhouse College in the late 1400s.
During the Tudor period, the DANES family became established in Devon and Cornwall, where they were prominent landowners and gentry. Sir John Danes (c.1509-1580) was a notable figure from this branch of the family, serving as a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Devon.
Other notable bearers of the DANES surname include Captain William Danes (1605-1677), an English naval officer who fought in the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and Reverend John Danes (1619-1680), a Puritan minister and author who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony.
As the DANES surname spread across England, various spelling variations emerged, such as Daines, Danes, Daynes, and Deynes. These variations reflect regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling before standardization.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Danes
Among Census respondents with the surname Danes, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Danes 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 Danes surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.2%
- Hispanic or Latino4.4%
- Black or African American3.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1%
- Two or more races0.8%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Danes 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 | #36,630 | #36,630 | 0.0% |
| Count | 610 | 610 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.21 | 0.21 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Danes bearers went from 610 to 610 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #36,630 to #36,630.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Danes
FAQ
Danes surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Danes?
The surname Danes holds position #36,630 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 720 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Danes surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Danes, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Black (3.8%). 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.