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

DeBose, 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 DeBose surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeBose in America

DeBose is the 11534th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeBose surname appeared 2,727 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 DeBose.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeBose 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 DeBose

The surname DeBose has its origins in France, tracing back to the early medieval period around the 9th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French words "de" meaning "of" and "bois" meaning "wood" or "forest." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Bois," referring to individuals residing in areas with a significant presence of woodlands.

As the name spread across Europe, various spellings emerged, including DeBose, DuBois, and Dubose. These variations reflect regional linguistic differences and the evolution of spelling conventions over time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Robert de Bois, a prominent landowner and knight from Normandy, France. Another early record mentions Jehan DuBois, a merchant who lived in Paris during the late 14th century.

During the Renaissance period, the name gained prominence with individuals like Jean DuBois (1555-1624), a French philosopher and theologian who played a significant role in the debates surrounding Calvinism and Catholicism.

In the 17th century, Jacques DuBois (1625-1696) was a French explorer and fur trader who established a settlement in what is now New York City, known as the Bushwick area, derived from the Dutch "Boswijck," meaning "town in the woods."

Moving to the 19th century, Edward DeBose (1820-1888) was a notable American jurist and politician from South Carolina, serving as a judge and later as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Another prominent figure with the surname was Blanche DuBois, a fictional character created by playwright Tennessee Williams in his iconic work "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1947), whose name reflects the French origins of the name.

While these examples provide a glimpse into the historical significance of the surname DeBose, it is important to note that the name has been carried by numerous individuals throughout various periods and regions, each contributing to its rich and diverse heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeBose

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

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

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

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