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

DeForest, 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 DeForest surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeForest in America

DeForest is the 11597th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeForest surname appeared 2,707 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname DeForest.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeForest 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 DeForest

The surname DeForest originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the French words "de" meaning "from" and "forest" meaning "forest" or "woodlands." The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a forested area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DeForest surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "de Foresta," indicating that individuals with this surname lived in or near a forest.

In the 13th century, a prominent family with the DeForest surname held lands in the Normandy region of France. A notable member of this family was Guillaume DeForest (1220-1285), a knight who fought in the Seventh Crusade under King Louis IX of France.

Another early bearer of the DeForest name was Sir John DeForest (1300-1367), an English nobleman and military commander who served in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was known for his bravery and leadership in several battles, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

During the 16th century, the DeForest surname spread to the Netherlands and other parts of Europe. One notable figure from this period was Pieter DeForest (1540-1612), a Dutch merchant and explorer who established trade routes in the East Indies and the Americas.

In the 17th century, members of the DeForest family immigrated to the American colonies, where the name became well-established. One of the earliest settlers was Isaac DeForest (1616-1674), a French Huguenot who arrived in New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) in 1637.

Another prominent figure was Jesse DeForest (1776-1827), an American inventor and pioneer in the development of the telegraph and other communication technologies. He was born in Westchester County, New York, and is credited with creating the first successful system of long-distance communication using static electricity.

The DeForest surname has been carried by numerous other individuals throughout history, including authors, artists, politicians, and military personnel. Despite its French origins, the name has become widely dispersed across various countries and cultures over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeForest

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

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

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

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