2000
#9,171
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,269
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.21
Rare Last name
Daves
Patronymic surname derived from the given name Dave or David, meaning "beloved" or "uncle."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,587 Americans carry the last name Daves. That puts it at #9,867 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,555 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Daves 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 Daves with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 95,555
Census rank
#9,867
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,128 bearers of the surname Daves in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9867th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Daves, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Daves
The surname Daves is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English personal name David, which ultimately traces its roots back to the Hebrew name "David" meaning "beloved."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Daves surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as de Daves and Daves, suggesting its widespread use during that time.
The Daves surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. Some historical references indicate that the name may have been associated with certain occupations or professions, such as shepherding or farming, as many surnames during that era were derived from the trades or professions of their bearers.
Notable individuals bearing the Daves surname include Sir John Daves (c. 1350-1420), who was a prominent English landowner and military commander during the Hundred Years' War. Another notable figure was Robert Daves (c. 1470-1535), a scholar and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Thetford in the early 16th century.
In the 17th century, the Daves surname was found in various records, including parish registers and tax rolls. One noteworthy individual from this period was William Daves (1605-1682), a merchant and landowner from Yorkshire who was known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local charities and educational institutions.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Daves surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with some families migrating to other regions or countries. One notable figure from this era was Elizabeth Daves (1780-1856), a writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and education reform.
Throughout its history, the Daves surname has been subject to various spelling variations, including Daves, Davys, Davy, and Davyes, reflecting the inconsistencies in record-keeping and orthography during earlier periods. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, tracing back to its Old English and Hebrew roots.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Daves
Among Census respondents with the surname Daves, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Daves 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 Daves surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.2% · 2,445
- Black or African American13.0% · 408
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 122
- Two or more races3.6% · 114
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 16
Timeline
Historical Census data for Daves
Daves 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
#10,189
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,163
-106 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Down 1,018 places
2020
#9,867
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,128
-35 bearers (-1.1%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Up 322 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,171 | 3,269 | 1.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,189 | 3,163 | 1.07 | -106 bearers (-3.2%) | Down 1,018 places |
| 2020 | #9,867 | 3,128 | 1.05 | -35 bearers (-1.1%) | Up 322 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 Daves 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 | #10,189 | #9,867 | 3.2% |
| Count | 3,163 | 3,128 | -1.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.07 | 1.05 | -2.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Daves bearers went from 3,163 to 3,128 (-1.1% change). The surname moved up 322 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,189 to #9,867.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Daves
FAQ
Daves surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Daves?
Name Census estimates that about 3,587 living Americans carry the surname Daves. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,555 residents.
How common is Daves?
Daves ranks #9,867 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 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 3,128 people with the surname Daves. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,587), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 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 Daves.
Has Daves become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Daves went from 3,163 recorded bearers to 3,128. That is a decrease of 35 (-1.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,189 to #9,867.
What does the Census say about the background of Daves?
Among Census respondents with the surname Daves, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Daves in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.2% (2,445 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Daves appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.2%), Black (13.0%), Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Daves (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 Daves mean?
Patronymic surname derived from the given name Dave or David, meaning "beloved" or "uncle." 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 Daves (1.05 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 have the last name Daves?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Daves on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.