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

Dare, 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 Dare surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dare in America

Dare is the 9368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dare surname appeared 3,472 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 Dare.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dare 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 Dare

The surname "Dare" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "daru" or "deor," meaning a wild animal or deer. It is believed to have first appeared as a surname in the 12th century, primarily used as a nickname for someone who possessed certain characteristics associated with a deer, such as swiftness or shyness.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Dare" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex, dating back to 1195, where it appears as "Deor." This suggests that the name was already in use during the late 12th century in the southern English county of Sussex.

In the 13th century, the surname "Dare" started to appear in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a "William Dere" in Oxfordshire. This variant spelling, "Dere," was likely an earlier form of the name.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname "Dare." However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as "Dereham" in Norfolk and "Derebury" in Shropshire.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "Dare" was John Dare, a merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the 14th century. He is mentioned in the city's records from 1346 to 1379.

During the 16th century, the name gained prominence with Sir Edward Dare (c. 1510-1586), an English lawyer and member of parliament who served as Clerk of the Privy Council under Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Nathaniel Dare (c. 1610-1659), an English colonial leader and one of the earliest settlers of Virginia. He served as a member of the Council of State in the Virginia Colony and was involved in the establishment of the Dare County, named after him.

In the 18th century, Richard Dare (1718-1786) was a prominent English engraver and painter, known for his landscape illustrations and portraits.

Throughout the 19th century, the surname "Dare" was associated with various literary figures, including Mary Dare (1788-1858), an English poet, and Ethel Dare (1863-1952), an American author and playwright.

While the surname "Dare" has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through British colonization and migration. Today, it can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dare

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

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

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

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