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

de, 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 de surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of de in America

de is the 22809th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The de surname appeared 1,123 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname de.

We can also compare 2010 data for de 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 de

The surname "De" is a prefix that originates from the Old French language and was commonly used before place names to indicate someone's place of origin or residence. It derives from the Latin word "de," meaning "from" or "of." The name has a long history and can be traced back to the Middle Ages in various regions of Europe.

One of the earliest known references to the surname "De" can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book contains numerous entries with the prefix "De" attached to place names, indicating the origin or residence of individuals.

In the 12th century, the surname "De" was commonly used in France, where it was often combined with the names of towns, villages, or estates. For example, the surname "De Montfort" referred to individuals from the town of Montfort, while "De Valois" indicated a connection to the region of Valois.

As the use of surnames became more widespread, the prefix "De" also gained popularity in other parts of Europe, including Italy, Spain, and Germany. In Italy, the surname "De" was sometimes combined with names of famous cities or regions, such as "De Medici" (from Florence) or "De Luca" (from the region of Lucca).

One notable historical figure with the surname "De" was Sir John de Mandeville, a 14th-century English writer and traveler, who was born around 1300 and is known for his influential travel memoir, "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville."

Another prominent individual with the surname "De" was Jeanne d'Arc, better known as Joan of Arc (1412-1431), the French heroine and Catholic saint who played a pivotal role in the Hundred Years' War between France and England.

In the 15th century, the surname "De" was also associated with some prominent Italian families, such as the De' Medici family, who ruled Florence and were influential patrons of the arts and sciences during the Renaissance period. One of the most famous members of this family was Lorenzo de' Medici (1449-1492), a statesman and patron of the arts.

In Spain, the surname "De" was often combined with the names of towns or regions, as in the case of Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro (1485-1547), the Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of the Aztec Empire in Mexico.

Another notable figure with the surname "De" was René Descartes (1596-1650), the French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist, often regarded as the father of modern philosophy and a key figure in the Scientific Revolution.

While the surname "De" has a rich history and has been associated with many influential individuals throughout the centuries, it is important to note that this report focuses solely on the historical and etymological aspects of the surname, without delving into modern census data or recent trends.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name de

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

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

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

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