2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Dannatt
Possibly from a medieval nickname meaning "bold" or "brave".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Dannatt. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dannatt surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Dannatt with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Dannatt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dannatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dannatt
The surname Dannatt is of Anglo-Saxon origin, emerging from the regions of Derbyshire and Staffordshire in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "dene" meaning a valley or dell, and "hætt" meaning a hat or hood, suggesting the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a valley with a distinctive hat or hood.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a John de Denehath is listed in Derbyshire. The spelling variations during this era included Denehath, Denhat, and Denehatte, reflecting the evolution of the name over time.
The Dannatt surname is notably absent from the Domesday Book of 1086, indicating its emergence at a later date in England's history. However, it is mentioned in various medieval records and charters, such as the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the 13th century.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Thomas Dannatt (1490-1560), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Staffordshire during the Tudor period. His descendants continued to hold significant estates in the region for several generations.
In the 17th century, Richard Dannatt (1621-1697) was a notable English clergyman who served as the Rector of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. He was known for his efforts in preserving and restoring the church where Shakespeare was baptized.
During the 18th century, the Dannatt family had established itself in various parts of England, including Lancashire and Yorkshire. One notable figure was John Dannatt (1721-1789), a successful merchant and entrepreneur who played a role in the early industrialization of Manchester.
In more recent times, Sir Andrew Dannatt (1950-) gained prominence as a former Chief of the General Staff of the British Army, serving from 2006 to 2009. He was knighted for his military service and leadership during his distinguished career.
Throughout its history, the Dannatt surname has maintained its roots in England, with various branches of the family contributing to various aspects of society, from landowners and clergy to merchants and military leaders.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dannatt
Among Census respondents with the surname Dannatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Dannatt bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Dannatt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.4% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 3
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dannatt
Dannatt appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-8 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,136 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+4 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,900 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 17,136 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.6%) | Up 2,900 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Dannatt surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #146,495 | 1.9% |
| Count | 110 | 114 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dannatt bearers went from 110 to 114 (+3.6% change). The surname moved up 2,900 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #146,495.
FAQ
Dannatt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dannatt?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Dannatt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Dannatt?
Dannatt ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Dannatt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Dannatt.
Has Dannatt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dannatt went from 110 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 4 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Dannatt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dannatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Dannatt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.4% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dannatt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.4%), Hispanic (2.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Dannatt (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Dannatt mean?
Possibly from a medieval nickname meaning "bold" or "brave". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Dannatt (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Dannatt?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.