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

DeCant, 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 DeCant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeCant in America

DeCant is the 105079th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeCant surname appeared 170 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 DeCant.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeCant 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 DeCant

The surname DECANT is believed to have originated in France during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old French verb "decanter," which means "to pour off" or "to transfer liquid from one container to another." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, given to someone who worked as a wine server or decanter, responsible for pouring and transferring wine from larger vessels into smaller serving containers.

One of the earliest known references to the name DECANT can be found in a document dated 1367, which mentions a Jacques Decant, a wine merchant living in the region of Burgundy, France. This record provides evidence of the name's association with wine-related professions during that era.

In the 15th century, records show a Pierre Decant, born around 1420 in the village of Beaune, located in the heart of the Burgundy wine region. Pierre Decant was a respected wine-maker and is believed to have played a significant role in establishing the reputation of Burgundy wines during that time.

As the name spread across France, variations in spelling began to appear, such as Decante, DeCant, and Decaunts. One notable individual bearing this name was Jean Decaunts, a French poet and playwright born in 1587 in Marseille. His works, though not widely known today, were celebrated during the French Renaissance period.

In the 17th century, the name DECANT made its way to the British Isles, possibly carried by French Huguenot refugees fleeing religious persecution. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England is found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, which mention a William Decant, born in 1639.

Another noteworthy figure with the surname DECANT was Charles Decant, a French military officer born in 1724. He served in the French Army during the Seven Years' War and later became a respected military strategist and advisor to King Louis XVI.

While the name DECANT is not among the most common surnames globally, it has left a trail of historical references that showcase its connection to the wine industry and French cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeCant

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

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

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

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