2000
#9,398
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,177
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.18
Rare Last name
Deem
Derived from the Old English word "deme," meaning "judge" or "arbiter," referring to someone who held that occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,595 Americans carry the last name Deem. That puts it at #9,841 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,342 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Deem 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 Deem with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 95,342
Census rank
#9,841
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,135 bearers of the surname Deem in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9841st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Deem, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Deem
The surname Deem originated in England, derived from the Old English word "deme," meaning "to judge or decide." The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 12th century, appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "de Deme."
This surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it is believed to have originated. The name was initially used to refer to individuals who held positions of authority, such as judges or local officials responsible for making important decisions within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a "William Deme." Another notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Deem, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century and played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Deem also appeared with various spellings, such as Deme, Deeme, and Deam, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation at the time. Some of these spellings were influenced by place names, such as the village of Deme in Kent, which may have contributed to the surname's evolution.
Notable individuals with the surname Deem throughout history include:
1. Thomas Deem (1567-1629), an English poet and playwright from Stratford-upon-Avon, known for his works praising the monarch and the Church of England.
2. Elizabeth Deem (1630-1707), a Quaker preacher and activist from Pennsylvania, who campaigned for religious tolerance and women's rights in the American colonies.
3. Sir William Deem (1712-1785), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.
4. John Deem (1789-1864), an English industrialist and inventor who pioneered the use of steam power in textile manufacturing and contributed significantly to the Industrial Revolution.
5. Mary Deem (1854-1932), an American educator and suffragist from New York, who advocated for women's right to vote and equal educational opportunities.
The surname Deem has a rich history, spanning centuries and reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore it, from influential figures in politics, literature, and industry to pioneering activists and innovators.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Deem
Among Census respondents with the surname Deem, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Deem 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 Deem surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 2,872
- Two or more races3.6% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 91
- Black or African American0.8% · 25
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Deem
Deem 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
#9,917
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,258
+81 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 1.10
Rank movement Down 519 places
2020
#9,841
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,135
-123 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Up 76 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,398 | 3,177 | 1.18 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,917 | 3,258 | 1.10 | +81 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 519 places |
| 2020 | #9,841 | 3,135 | 1.05 | -123 bearers (-3.8%) | Up 76 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 Deem 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 | #9,917 | #9,841 | 0.8% |
| Count | 3,258 | 3,135 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.10 | 1.05 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Deem bearers went from 3,258 to 3,135 (-3.8% change). The surname moved up 76 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,917 to #9,841.
FAQ
Deem surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Deem?
Name Census estimates that about 3,595 living Americans carry the surname Deem. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,342 residents.
How common is Deem?
Deem ranks #9,841 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,135 people with the surname Deem. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,595), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Deem.
Has Deem become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Deem went from 3,258 recorded bearers to 3,135. That is a decrease of 123 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,917 to #9,841.
What does the Census say about the background of Deem?
Among Census respondents with the surname Deem, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.9%). 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 Deem in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (2,872 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Deem appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (2.9%). 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 Deem (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 Deem mean?
Derived from the Old English word "deme," meaning "judge" or "arbiter," referring to someone who held that occupation. 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 Deem (1.05 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 Deem?
Find out how many people have the last name Deem on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.