2000
#12,288
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,321
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Degraw
A toponymic surname derived from a place name in Germany, likely meaning "of the grove" or "of the woods."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,584 Americans carry the last name Degraw. That puts it at #13,027 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 132,645 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Degraw 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
2.6K
1 in 132,645
Census rank
#13,027
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,253 bearers of the surname Degraw in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13027th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Degraw, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Degraw
The surname DeGraw is of Dutch origin, tracing its roots back to the 17th century in the Netherlands. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a ditch or trench, from the Dutch word "gracht," which means "ditch" or "canal."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Dutch Reformed Church records of New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) in the late 1600s. During this period, many Dutch settlers arrived in the New World, bringing their surnames with them.
As the name spread across the Dutch settlements in North America, it underwent various spelling variations, such as DeGrauw, DeGraaf, and DeGrave. These variations were likely due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping and the fluidity of language at the time.
The DeGraw surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Jacobus DeGraw, a Dutch settler who arrived in New Amsterdam in the mid-17th century and became a prominent landowner and trader.
Another notable figure was Johannes DeGraw, born in 1740 in New York, who served as a captain in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. His bravery and leadership during the war earned him recognition and respect among his contemporaries.
In the 19th century, Isaac DeGraw, born in 1815 in New York, made a name for himself as a successful businessman and philanthropist. He was known for his contributions to various charitable causes and his support for educational institutions.
The DeGraw surname has also been linked to several place names in the United States, particularly in New York and New Jersey. For instance, DeGraw Street in Brooklyn, New York, and DeGraw Avenue in Toms River, New Jersey, are both named after individuals with the DeGraw surname who were prominent in their respective communities.
Another notable figure was Charles DeGraw, born in 1837 in New York, who was a prolific author and journalist. He wrote extensively on topics ranging from politics to literature and was widely respected for his insightful commentary and literary prowess.
While the DeGraw surname may have originated from humble beginnings, referring to those who lived near ditches or canals, it has since become a distinguished name with a rich history and numerous notable bearers who have left their mark on various fields and communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Degraw
Among Census respondents with the surname Degraw, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Degraw 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 Degraw surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 2,058
- Two or more races3.6% · 80
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 72
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 24
- Black or African American0.6% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Degraw
Degraw 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
#12,752
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,420
+99 bearers (+4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.82
Rank movement Down 464 places
2020
#13,027
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,253
-167 bearers (-6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Down 275 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,288 | 2,321 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,752 | 2,420 | 0.82 | +99 bearers (+4.3%) | Down 464 places |
| 2020 | #13,027 | 2,253 | 0.75 | -167 bearers (-6.9%) | Down 275 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 Degraw 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 | #12,752 | #13,027 | -2.2% |
| Count | 2,420 | 2,253 | -6.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.82 | 0.75 | -8.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Degraw bearers went from 2,420 to 2,253 (-6.9% change). The surname moved down 275 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,752 to #13,027.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Degraw
FAQ
Degraw surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Degraw?
Name Census estimates that about 2,584 living Americans carry the surname Degraw. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 132,645 residents.
How common is Degraw?
Degraw ranks #13,027 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.75 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 2,253 people with the surname Degraw. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,584), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.75 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 Degraw.
Has Degraw become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Degraw went from 2,420 recorded bearers to 2,253. That is a decrease of 167 (-6.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,752 to #13,027.
What does the Census say about the background of Degraw?
Among Census respondents with the surname Degraw, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Degraw in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (2,058 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Degraw appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Degraw (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 Degraw mean?
A toponymic surname derived from a place name in Germany, likely meaning "of the grove" or "of the woods." 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 Degraw (0.75 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 share the surname Degraw?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.