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

Deir, 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 Deir surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Deir in America

Deir is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Deir surname appeared 150 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 Deir.

We can also compare 2010 data for Deir 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 Deir

The surname Deir has its origins in Scotland, emerging during the late 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "dair," meaning "oak tree" or "oak grove." This name likely originated in areas with significant oak forests or settlements near such groves.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Deir can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing a list of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "de Deyr," indicating a connection to a specific place or location.

In the 14th century, the Deir surname surfaced in various historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. One notable individual from this era was John Deir, a merchant from Aberdeen who was granted a royal charter in 1372 for trading privileges.

During the 16th century, the name Deir appeared in the Papal Taxation Rolls of 1501, which recorded landholdings and properties within the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Scotland. In these records, the name is spelled as "Deyr" and "Deyr-is."

The 17th century saw the rise of a prominent family with the Deir surname. William Deir (1598-1669) was a respected landowner and magistrate in the county of Angus. His son, James Deir (1632-1701), served as a member of the Scottish Parliament and played a significant role in the negotiations leading to the Acts of Union in 1707.

In the 18th century, the Deir surname was associated with notable figures such as Robert Deir (1710-1787), a renowned philosopher and scholar who contributed to the Scottish Enlightenment. Another prominent individual was Mary Deir (1742-1819), a philanthropist and advocate for education who founded several schools in the Highlands.

The 19th century saw the Deir surname spread beyond Scotland as members of the family emigrated to other parts of the British Empire and the United States. One such individual was John Deir (1804-1886), a Scottish-American industrialist who founded the Deir & Company, a company that pioneered the manufacturing of agricultural equipment.

Throughout history, the surname Deir has been associated with various place names and locations across Scotland, including Dairsie in Fife, Derry in Perthshire, and Deir in Aberdeenshire. The name has also been spelled in various ways, such as Deyr, Deyre, and Dair, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Deir

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

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

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

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