2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Decew
A surname indicating an inhabitant of a place once spelled "Dewchurch".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Decew. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Decew 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Decew in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Decew, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Decew
The surname Decew has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Norfolk. It is believed to have originated in the late 15th or early 16th century, derived from the Old French "de Cue," meaning "of the bend" or "of the curve." This likely referred to a geographical feature or a location associated with the family's place of residence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Norfolk from 1523, where a John Decew is listed as a taxpayer. The name also appears in the parish records of Burnham Westgate, Norfolk, in the late 16th century, with the baptism of Robert Decew in 1589.
During the 17th century, the name Decew appeared in various historical documents across Norfolk and neighboring counties. In 1642, a William Decew was recorded as a landowner in the village of Barton Bendish, Norfolk. The name was also found in the Protestation Returns of 1641-42, a document listing individuals who swore allegiance to the Protestant religion.
One notable person with the surname Decew was Sir Thomas Decew (1594-1665), a member of the English gentry and a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War. He served as a Colonel in the Parliamentary army and was active in the defense of Norfolk against Royalist forces.
Another historical figure bearing the name was John Decew (1673-1748), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. He was a prominent member of the local community and served as a magistrate and alderman for the town.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Decew surname continued to be present in various records across Norfolk and neighboring counties. Some notable individuals from this period include:
1. James Decew (1756-1832), a farmer and landowner from Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk.
2. Elizabeth Decew (1789-1865), a philanthropist and benefactor from Norwich, Norfolk, who supported several local charities and institutions.
3. William Decew (1812-1879), a successful businessman and industrialist from King's Lynn, Norfolk, known for his involvement in the local shipping and maritime industries.
The name Decew has also been found in historical records from other parts of England, including London and the Midlands, indicating that the family may have migrated or established branches in different regions over time.
It's worth noting that variations in spelling, such as Dekewe, Decue, and Decoe, were not uncommon in earlier centuries due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and variations in pronunciation and dialect. However, the Decew spelling appears to have been the most prevalent and enduring form of the surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Decew
Among Census respondents with the surname Decew, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Decew 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 Decew surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.2% · 99
- Two or more races5.4% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Decew
Decew appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 730 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Up 730 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 Decew 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 | #149,395 | #148,665 | 0.5% |
| Count | 110 | 111 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Decew bearers went from 110 to 111 (+0.9% change). The surname moved up 730 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #148,665.
FAQ
Decew surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Decew?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Decew. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Decew?
Decew ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Decew. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Decew.
Has Decew become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Decew went from 110 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Decew?
Among Census respondents with the surname Decew, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Decew in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.2% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Decew appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.2%), Two or More Races (5.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Decew (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 Decew mean?
A surname indicating an inhabitant of a place once spelled "Dewchurch". 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 Decew (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 many people have the surname Decew?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.