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

DeGraaff, 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 DeGraaff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeGraaff in America

DeGraaff is the 76533rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeGraaff surname appeared 251 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 DeGraaff.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeGraaff 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 DeGraaff

The surname DeGraaff is of Dutch origin, derived from the historical occupation of a "graaff" or "graaf," which translates to "count" or "earl" in English. It emerged in the regions that now comprise the Netherlands and Belgium during the Middle Ages.

DeGraaff is believed to have originated as a descriptive surname, initially referring to individuals who held the prestigious title of "count" or "earl" or those associated with such high-ranking nobility. Over time, it likely transitioned into a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

The earliest known record of the surname DeGraaff dates back to the late 13th century, appearing in various Dutch and Flemish manuscripts and documents. It was often spelled "de Graaff" or "de Graeff" in its early forms, reflecting the Dutch language's evolution.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname DeGraaff was Andries de Graeff (1611-1678), a prominent Dutch politician and regent who served as a burgomaster (mayor) of Amsterdam. He played a significant role in the Dutch Golden Age and was instrumental in the city's prosperity.

Another individual of note was Pieter de Graeff (1638-1707), a Dutch military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) from 1686 to 1692.

In the 17th century, the DeGraaff surname also appeared in the records of the Dutch West India Company, which established colonies in the Americas. One such individual was Jacob Jacobsz DeGraaff (1642-1703), a Dutch merchant and landowner who settled in the Dutch colony of New Netherland (present-day New York).

During the 18th century, the surname DeGraaff gained prominence in the Netherlands with figures like Abraham de Graaff (1717-1802), a Dutch philosopher and mathematician renowned for his contributions to the study of algebra and calculus.

Another notable bearer of the name was Reinier de Graaf (1641-1673), a Dutch physician and anatomist who made significant discoveries in the field of reproductive anatomy, including the identification of the ovarian follicles that bear his name (Graafian follicles).

As the Dutch migrated and settled in various parts of the world, the surname DeGraaff spread to other countries, often adopting variations in spelling and pronunciation based on local languages and customs.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeGraaff

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

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

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

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