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

Debrah, 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 Debrah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Debrah in America

Debrah is the 94311th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Debrah surname appeared 194 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 Debrah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Debrah 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 Debrah

The surname DEBRAH is believed to have originated in the Languedoc region of southern France during the early medieval period, specifically in the areas around the city of Narbonne. It is thought to derive from the Occitan word "debra," meaning "to break" or "to open," possibly referring to an occupation such as a woodcutter or someone who cleared land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 13th-century cartulary (a medieval manuscript containing transcripts of charters and other legal documents) from the Abbey of Fontfroide, located near Narbonne. The document mentions a "Petrus de Brah," likely an ancestor of the modern DEBRAH surname.

In the 14th century, the name appears to have spread throughout the Languedoc region and into neighboring areas. A notable figure from this time was Guilhem Debrah (c. 1320 - c. 1385), a landowner and minor noble from the village of Capendu, near Carcassonne.

As the name spread, variations in spelling began to emerge, including Debra, Debrau, and Debraw. These alternative spellings can be found in various records from the 15th and 16th centuries, such as the Taille Rolls (tax rolls) of the city of Béziers.

During the 17th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of Jean-Baptiste Debrah (1634 - 1707), a renowned playwright and poet from Montpellier. His works, which included several popular theatrical comedies, helped to further establish the name in the region.

Another notable figure was Marie Debrah (1755 - 1833), a French Revolutionary who participated in the storming of the Bastille in 1789. She was later awarded a pension by the Revolutionary government for her role in the historic event.

As the name spread beyond the Languedoc region, it eventually made its way to other parts of Europe and beyond. One example is Johann Debrah (1821 - 1896), a German-born explorer and naturalist who conducted extensive research in South America, particularly in the Amazon basin.

While the origin of the surname DEBRAH can be traced back to medieval France, it has since become more widely dispersed, with bearers of the name found in various parts of the world today. However, its roots remain firmly planted in the rich history and culture of the Languedoc region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Debrah

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

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

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

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