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

Dave, 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 Dave surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dave in America

Dave is the 6504th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dave surname appeared 5,218 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Dave.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dave 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 Dave

The surname DAVE is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the medieval personal name David, which is derived from the Hebrew name "Davīd" meaning "beloved". The name David was popular among the Normans and was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname DAVE can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Oxfordshire. One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Roger Dave, who was mentioned in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.

In the 14th century, the surname DAVE appeared in various forms, such as Davey, Davie, and Davyes, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable individual from this period was John Davye, a landowner from Oxfordshire, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wootton in 1348.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname DAVE continued to be prevalent in various parts of England. Notable bearers of this surname included William Dave, a merchant from London who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of 1589, and Thomas Dave, a landowner from Gloucestershire who was recorded in the Hearth Tax Returns of 1672.

In the 18th century, the surname DAVE spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland. One notable individual from this period was Robert Dave, a Scottish poet and author born in 1728, who is remembered for his works on Scottish folklore and traditions.

As the British Empire expanded, the surname DAVE was carried to various parts of the world by settlers and explorers. One notable bearer of this surname was Captain James Dave, an English explorer and navigator who was born in 1765 and is known for his expeditions to the South Pacific.

Other notable individuals with the surname DAVE throughout history include Sir John Dave (1801-1879), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Southampton; William Dave (1825-1905), an English architect known for designing several notable buildings in London; and Elizabeth Dave (1856-1932), a pioneering British educator and advocate for women's education.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dave

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

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

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

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