2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Decort
A French surname derived from a location name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Decort. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Decort 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Decort with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Decort in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Decort, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Decort
The surname "DECORT" is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old French word "decort," which means "courteous" or "well-mannered." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who exhibited courteous behavior or manners.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname "DECORT" can be traced back to various regions of northern France, particularly in the areas around Paris and Normandy. The name is thought to have emerged sometime during the 11th or 12th century, as the practice of adopting hereditary surnames became more widespread among the French nobility and affluent families.
One notable early reference to the name "DECORT" can be found in the "Livre des métiers," a compilation of trade regulations and guild records from Paris, dating back to the 13th century. The document mentions a merchant named Jean Decort, who was involved in the textile trade.
During the 14th century, the surname "DECORT" appeared in various historic records and manuscripts, including the "Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Victor de Marseille," which contained documents related to the Saint-Victor Abbey in Marseille. This record mentioned a nobleman named Guilhem Decort, who was involved in land transactions in the region.
In the 15th century, a branch of the Decort family settled in the region of Burgundy, where they became prominent landowners and wine merchants. One notable member of this branch was Pierre Decort (1428-1496), who served as a trusted advisor to the Duke of Burgundy and was known for his diplomatic skills.
Another individual of note bearing the surname "DECORT" was Marie Decort (1567-1632), a renowned poet and writer from Rouen, who was praised for her lyrical works and contributions to French literature during the Renaissance period.
During the 17th century, the Decort family gained further prominence in the region of Champagne, where they established themselves as successful vineyard owners and wine traders. One of the most influential members of this branch was Jacques Decort (1623-1698), who was instrumental in developing new techniques for wine production and played a significant role in the growth of the Champagne wine industry.
As the Decort family dispersed across various regions of France over the centuries, the name underwent several variations in spelling, including "Decourt," "Decourte," and "Decourteau." Some of these variations may have been influenced by local dialects or scribal errors in historical records.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Decort
Among Census respondents with the surname Decort, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Decort 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 Decort surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 2
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Decort
Decort 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
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,552 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Up 1,552 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 Decort 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 | #157,234 | #155,682 | 1.0% |
| Count | 103 | 100 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Decort bearers went from 103 to 100 (-2.9% change). The surname moved up 1,552 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #155,682.
FAQ
Decort surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Decort?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Decort. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Decort?
Decort ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 100 people with the surname Decort. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Decort.
Has Decort become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Decort went from 103 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Decort?
Among Census respondents with the surname Decort, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Decort in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Decort appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Hispanic (2.0%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Decort (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 Decort mean?
A French surname derived from a location name. 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 Decort (0.03 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 are called Decort?
Find out how common the surname Decort is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.