2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Decan
A Dutch surname derived from the word "decaan" meaning a dean or principal.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Decan. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Decan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Decan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Decan, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.7%) and Black (13.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Decan
The surname Decan is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period, specifically in the region of Burgundy. It is derived from the Old French word "decan," which means "dean" or "leader of a church chapter." This suggests that the name was initially borne by individuals who held positions of authority within religious institutions.
One of the earliest documented references to the Decan name can be found in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Cluny, a collection of charters and records from the renowned Cluny Abbey in Burgundy, dating back to the 11th century. This manuscript mentions several individuals with variations of the Decan surname, such as Decanus and Decani.
During the 12th century, the Decan name appeared in various records from the Duchy of Burgundy, often associated with members of the clergy or individuals involved in ecclesiastical affairs. For instance, the Chronicon Hirsaugiense, a chronicle from the Hirsau Abbey in modern-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany, mentions a certain Petrus Decanus who lived around 1150.
In the 13th century, the Decan name began to spread beyond the borders of Burgundy as individuals bearing this surname migrated to other regions of France and neighboring countries. One notable figure was Jean Decan, a French theologian and philosopher who lived from 1235 to 1298. He was a prominent scholar at the University of Paris and authored several works on theology and philosophy.
During the 14th century, the Decan surname appeared in various official records and documents across Europe. For example, the Calendarium Rotulorum Patentium in Turri Londinensi, a collection of patent rolls from the reign of King Edward III in England, mentions a certain Thomas Decan who was granted lands in Berkshire in 1348.
Another significant figure bearing the Decan surname was Étienne Decan, a French philosopher and humanist born in 1452 in Arles, Provence. He was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on topics such as ethics, politics, and rhetoric. His works, including "De Moribus et Institutis Philosophiae," were widely read and influential during the Renaissance period.
As the Decan name continued to spread throughout France and Europe in the following centuries, it became associated with various notable individuals from diverse backgrounds. For instance, Claude Decan was a French painter who lived from 1667 to 1737 and was known for his religious and historical paintings.
It is important to note that while this history provides an overview of the origins and early references to the Decan surname, it is by no means an exhaustive account. Many other individuals bearing this surname have undoubtedly contributed to various fields and disciplines throughout history, but their stories and accomplishments may not have been extensively documented or preserved in historical records.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Decan
Among Census respondents with the surname Decan, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.7%) and Black (13.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Decan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Decan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.7% · 72
- Hispanic or Latino17.7% · 20
- Black or African American13.3% · 15
- Two or more races4.4% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Decan
Decan appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+12 bearers (+12.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,183 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 32 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+12.0%) | Up 3,183 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Up 32 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Decan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #147,253 | #147,221 | 0.0% |
| Count | 112 | 113 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Decan bearers went from 112 to 113 (+0.9% change). The surname moved up 32 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #147,221.
FAQ
Decan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Decan?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Decan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Decan?
Decan ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Decan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Decan.
Has Decan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Decan went from 112 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Decan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Decan, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.7%) and Black (13.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Decan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.7% (72 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Decan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (63.7%), Hispanic (17.7%), Black (13.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Decan (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Decan mean?
A Dutch surname derived from the word "decaan" meaning a dean or principal. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Decan (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Decan?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Decan on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.