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

Days, 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 Days surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Days in America

Days is the 16944th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Days surname appeared 1,678 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 Days.

We can also compare 2010 data for Days 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 Days

The surname Days is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "dæg", meaning "day". It initially emerged as a nickname for someone who was cheerful, bright, or radiant, much like the qualities of the daytime.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Days dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, where it appears as "Godeday". This spelling variation highlights the name's connection to the phrase "good day", further reinforcing its association with a positive and cheerful disposition.

Throughout history, the Days surname has been found in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it was spelled "Dayes". The Feet of Fines for Essex in 1428 mentions a John Dayes, indicating the surname's widespread use across different regions of England.

Notably, the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Days. However, it does record numerous place names that may have influenced the surname's development, such as Daylesford in Worcestershire and Daybrook in Nottinghamshire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Days was John Days, a prominent lawyer and member of the Parliament of England during the reign of King Henry VIII in the 16th century. He played a significant role in the dissolution of the monasteries and the subsequent redistribution of their lands.

Another notable figure was Richard Days, an English clergyman and academic who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as the Provost of Eton College from 1598 to 1619 and was praised for his efforts in promoting education and scholarship.

In the realm of literature, Thomas Days (1648-1739) was an English poet and author known for his religious and moral works, including "The Works of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Days, Containing an Entire Body of Practical Divinity" published in 1723.

The Days surname also gained recognition in the field of science with the contributions of Arthur Days (1822-1912), a British astronomer and mathematician. He made significant advancements in the study of planetary motions and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1858.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the legacy of Dorothy Days (1897-1980), an American journalist, social activist, and devout Catholic convert. She co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement and was a vocal advocate for the poor and marginalized, earning her a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Days

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

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

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

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