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

Dea, 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 Dea surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dea in America

Dea is the 20285th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dea surname appeared 1,311 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 Dea.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dea 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 Dea

The surname DEA originated in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "deus," meaning "god" or "deity." This name likely has its roots in the Visigothic or Mozarabic cultures that flourished in the region during the 6th to 8th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DEA can be found in the Cartularios de Valpuesta, a collection of medieval documents from the monastery of Santa María de Valpuesta in the province of Burgos, Spain. These documents date back to the 9th century and mention individuals with the surname DEA, suggesting its use in the region during that time.

In the 11th century, the name DEA appeared in various charters and records from the Kingdom of León and the County of Portugal. For example, a knight named Rodrigo Dea fought in the Battle of Ourique in 1139, which played a crucial role in the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal.

During the 12th century, the surname DEA was prominent among the nobility and clergy in the regions of Galicia and Asturias in northern Spain. One notable figure was Pedro Dea, a clergyman who served as the Bishop of Lugo from 1173 to 1189.

In the 13th century, the name DEA was associated with several notable scholars and philosophers in the Iberian Peninsula. One such figure was Raimundo Dea, a renowned philosopher and theologian from Catalonia, who lived from 1235 to 1300.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname DEA was also found in various place names across Spain and Portugal. For instance, the town of Dea in the province of Soria, Spain, is believed to have derived its name from the surname.

As the centuries passed, the surname DEA spread beyond the Iberian Peninsula through migration and conquest. In the 16th century, a Spanish explorer named Juan Dea accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico and is mentioned in several historical accounts of the time.

Other notable individuals with the surname DEA throughout history include:

1. Diego Dea (1500-1575), a Spanish architect and sculptor who contributed to the construction of several churches and cathedrals in Spain.
2. Antonio Dea (1630-1698), a Portuguese painter known for his religious works and portraits.
3. María Dea (1760-1832), a Spanish writer and poet who was a pioneer in the Romantic literary movement in Spain.
4. Joaquín Dea (1820-1889), a Spanish military officer who played a significant role in the Carlist Wars of the 19th century.
5. Pedro Dea (1875-1942), a Portuguese lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Justice in the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dea

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

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

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

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