2000
#74,398
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 242
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Delacey
One meaning is a surname transferred from an English place named from Norman French "de la(a)ssi" meaning "of the vent or vent hole".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 316 Americans carry the last name Delacey. That puts it at #75,363 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,084,666 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Delacey 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Delacey with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
316
1 in 1,084,666
Census rank
#75,363
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
276
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 276 bearers of the surname Delacey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 75363rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Delacey, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Delacey
The surname Delacey is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is a locational name, derived from the Old French phrase "de la ce," meaning "from the well" or "from the spring." This suggests that the first bearers of this name lived near a notable well or spring.
The earliest recorded instances of the Delacey surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where it appears as "de la Cee." Over time, the spelling evolved into Delacey, Delacy, and other variations.
One of the earliest notable individuals with this surname was Sir Hugh Delacey, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He was granted lands in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire for his service.
In the 13th century, the Delacey family established themselves in Hertfordshire, where they held the manor of Folly John in the parish of Hitchin. Sir John Delacey, born around 1250, was a prominent member of this branch of the family.
The Delacey name is also associated with the village of Delancey in Normandy, France. It is believed that some members of the Delacey family may have originated from this area before migrating to England.
During the reign of King Edward III (1327-1377), a Sir William Delacey served as a member of the King's Council and held the position of Lord Privy Seal. He was also a renowned soldier and fought in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War.
Another notable figure was Sir Ralph Delacey, born in 1420, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1478. He was a wealthy merchant and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the city's infrastructure and charitable institutions.
In the 16th century, the Delacey family had a presence in Wiltshire, where they held the manor of Winterbourne Earls. Sir Edward Delacey, born in 1560, was a prominent member of this branch and served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire.
Throughout history, the Delacey surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including knights, soldiers, politicians, merchants, and landowners. While the name may have evolved in spelling over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the Old French phrase "de la ce," reflecting the family's connection to a well or spring in their ancestral homeland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Delacey
Among Census respondents with the surname Delacey, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Delacey 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 Delacey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 253
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 11
- Two or more races3.3% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Delacey
Delacey 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
#75,564
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 255
+13 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 1,166 places
2020
#75,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 276
+21 bearers (+8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 201 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #74,398 | 242 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #75,564 | 255 | 0.09 | +13 bearers (+5.4%) | Down 1,166 places |
| 2020 | #75,363 | 276 | 0.09 | +21 bearers (+8.2%) | Up 201 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 Delacey 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 | #75,564 | #75,363 | 0.3% |
| Count | 255 | 276 | 8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.09 | 2.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Delacey bearers went from 255 to 276 (+8.2% change). The surname moved up 201 positions in the national ranking, going from #75,564 to #75,363.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Delacey
FAQ
Delacey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Delacey?
Name Census estimates that about 316 living Americans carry the surname Delacey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,084,666 residents.
How common is Delacey?
Delacey ranks #75,363 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 276 people with the surname Delacey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (316), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Delacey.
Has Delacey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Delacey went from 255 recorded bearers to 276. That is an increase of 21 (+8.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #75,564 to #75,363.
What does the Census say about the background of Delacey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Delacey, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Delacey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (253 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Delacey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Hispanic (4.0%), Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Delacey (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 Delacey mean?
One meaning is a surname transferred from an English place named from Norman French "de la(a)ssi" meaning "of the vent or vent hole". 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 Delacey (0.09 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 are called Delacey?
See how many people have the last name Delacey on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.