2000
#9,064
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,316
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.23
Rare Last name
Darrah
Derived from the Irish surname O'Dára, meaning "descendant of Dara," a personal name meaning "oak tree" or "fruitful."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,635 Americans carry the last name Darrah. That puts it at #9,765 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 94,293 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Darrah 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 Darrah with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 94,293
Census rank
#9,765
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,170 bearers of the surname Darrah in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9765th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Darrah, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Darrah
The surname DARRAH has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "darragh," which means "oak tree." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near a prominent oak tree or in an area known for its abundance of oak trees.
Early records indicate that the DARRAH surname was particularly prevalent in County Monaghan, where it is thought to have originated. The name appears in various Irish annals and manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries, though the earliest recorded instance is difficult to pinpoint with certainty.
One notable early reference to the name can be found in the "Annals of the Four Masters," a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a "Donnchadh Darach," which translates to "Donnchadh of the Oak," suggesting a possible connection to the surname's origins.
In the 17th century, the DARRAH surname began to spread beyond County Monaghan as families migrated to other parts of Ireland and, eventually, to other regions of the British Isles and beyond. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John DARRAH, born around 1620 in County Monaghan.
Another notable figure was Reverend William DARRAH, a Presbyterian minister born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1675. He emigrated to America in the early 18th century and played a significant role in establishing Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania.
In the 18th century, the DARRAH surname gained prominence with the birth of Michael DARRAH (1725-1804), a notable figure in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a captain in the Pennsylvania militia and was present at the Battle of Brandywine in 1777.
Another individual of note was John DARRAH (1798-1879), a Scottish-born engineer who contributed to the development of early steam engines and played a role in the construction of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
In the 19th century, the DARRAH surname continued to spread worldwide, with individuals bearing the name contributing to various fields. One such individual was Mary DARRAH (1824-1911), an American educator and philanthropist who founded several schools and organizations dedicated to the education of women and girls.
While the DARRAH surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since become a part of the historical fabric of many nations, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions across various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Darrah
Among Census respondents with the surname Darrah, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Darrah 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 Darrah surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 2,884
- Two or more races3.9% · 123
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 99
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 29
- Black or African American0.7% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Darrah
Darrah 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
#9,531
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,410
+94 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 1.16
Rank movement Down 467 places
2020
#9,765
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,170
-240 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 1.06
Rank movement Down 234 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,064 | 3,316 | 1.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,531 | 3,410 | 1.16 | +94 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 467 places |
| 2020 | #9,765 | 3,170 | 1.06 | -240 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 234 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 Darrah 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 | #9,531 | #9,765 | -2.5% |
| Count | 3,410 | 3,170 | -7.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.16 | 1.06 | -8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Darrah bearers went from 3,410 to 3,170 (-7.0% change). The surname moved down 234 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,531 to #9,765.
FAQ
Darrah surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Darrah?
Name Census estimates that about 3,635 living Americans carry the surname Darrah. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 94,293 residents.
How common is Darrah?
Darrah ranks #9,765 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.06 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,170 people with the surname Darrah. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,635), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.06 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Darrah.
Has Darrah become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Darrah went from 3,410 recorded bearers to 3,170. That is a decrease of 240 (-7.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,531 to #9,765.
What does the Census say about the background of Darrah?
Among Census respondents with the surname Darrah, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.9%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Darrah in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (2,884 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Darrah appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), Two or More Races (3.9%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Darrah (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 Darrah mean?
Derived from the Irish surname O'Dára, meaning "descendant of Dara," a personal name meaning "oak tree" or "fruitful." 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 Darrah (1.06 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 people share the surname Darrah?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.