Deheer
A Dutch surname meaning "the lord" or "the gentleman".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 377 Americans carry the last name Deheer. That puts it at #62,714 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 909,163 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Deheer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
377
1 in 909,163
Census rank
#62,714
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
319
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 319 bearers of the surname Deheer in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 62714th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Deheer, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Deheer
The surname DEHEER is of Dutch origin, originating in the Netherlands during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th century. It is derived from the Dutch words "de" meaning "the" and "heer" meaning "lord" or "master," suggesting that the original bearers of this name may have held positions of authority or were landowners.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the provinces of Holland and Zeeland, where it was often spelled as "de Heer" or "DeHeer." This variation in spelling was common during that time period before standardized spelling conventions were established.
One notable historical reference to the name DEHEER can be found in the records of the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC) during the 17th century. Jan DeHeer, born in 1632, was a merchant and ship captain who sailed for the VOC, making several voyages to the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia).
In the 18th century, the name DEHEER appeared in several land records and parish registers in the Netherlands, particularly in the towns of Leiden and Rotterdam. One prominent individual was Pieter DeHeer (1714-1788), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Leiden.
As the Dutch emigrated to other parts of the world, the name DEHEER spread to various countries. In South Africa, for instance, the name can be traced back to the late 17th century, when Dutch settlers arrived at the Cape Colony. One such individual was Jacobus DeHeer (1685-1749), a farmer who owned land in the Stellenbosch region.
In the United States, the name DEHEER is believed to have arrived with Dutch immigrants in the 17th and 18th centuries, settling in areas like New York and New Jersey. One of the earliest recorded examples is that of Hendrick DeHeer (1721-1803), a farmer from Long Island, New York.
Other notable individuals with the surname DEHEER include:
1. Johan DeHeer (1809-1879), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes.
2. Adriaan DeHeer (1858-1932), a Dutch architect who designed several notable buildings in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
3. Pieter DeHeer (1892-1966), a Dutch journalist and writer who published several novels and short stories.
4. Gerrit DeHeer (1916-2004), a South African rugby player who represented the national team in the 1940s.
5. Jan DeHeer (born 1952), a Dutch politician who served as a member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Deheer
Among Census respondents with the surname Deheer, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Deheer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Deheer surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.8%
- Black or African American9.1%
- Two or more races1.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Deheer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #62,714 | #62,714 | 0.0% |
| Count | 319 | 319 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Deheer bearers went from 319 to 319 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #62,714 to #62,714.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Deheer
FAQ
Deheer surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Deheer?
The surname Deheer holds position #62,714 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 377 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Deheer surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Deheer, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.