Delegal last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Delegal

A Spanish habitational surname derived from a place named after a local law or legal code.

Delegal, 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 Delegal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Delegal in America

Delegal is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Delegal surname appeared 133 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 Delegal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Delegal 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 128249 116835 9.31%
Count 133 138 -3.69%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.05 0.00%

The history of the last name Delegal

The surname DELEGAL originated in France during the Middle Ages, with its roots tracing back to the region of Languedoc. It is derived from the Old French word "legal," which means "lawful" or "legitimate." This suggests that the name was likely bestowed upon an individual or family associated with the legal profession or someone who held a respected position within the local community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DELEGAL name can be found in the Livre des Métiers, a 13th-century document that catalogued the various trades and professions in Paris. This historical record mentions a "Jean Delegal," who was listed as a notary public, suggesting a connection to the legal field.

During the 14th century, the DELEGAL name appeared in the archives of the city of Toulouse, where a "Guillaume Delegal" was documented as a prominent lawyer and advisor to the local nobility. This further reinforces the name's association with the legal profession and its origins in the southern regions of France.

In the 16th century, the DELEGAL family gained prominence in the town of Montpellier, where a "Jean-Baptiste Delegal" (1525-1592) was a renowned jurist and author of several influential treatises on civil law. His works were widely studied and cited by legal scholars throughout Europe.

Another notable figure bearing the DELEGAL surname was "Pierre Delegal" (1602-1672), a Catholic priest and theologian who was born in Marseille. He served as a professor of theology at the University of Aix-en-Provence and authored several theological texts that were widely circulated during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the DELEGAL name surfaced in the annals of French military history with "François Delegal" (1738-1815), a distinguished general who served under Napoleon Bonaparte. He played a pivotal role in several key battles during the Napoleonic Wars and was later awarded the prestigious Légion d'Honneur for his bravery and service.

As the centuries passed, the DELEGAL name continued to be associated with various professions, including law, academia, and the military, reflecting its long-standing connection to the legal and scholarly traditions of France. While the name's origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, its legacy has endured through the contributions of notable individuals who have carried the DELEGAL surname throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Delegal

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

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 Delegal was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 70.68% 94
Non-Hispanic Black Only 24.06% 32
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 3.76% 5

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 Delegal has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 70.68% 73.91% -4.47%
Black 24.06% 21.74% 10.13%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Hispanic 3.76% 4.35% -14.55%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Delegal last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 6, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/delegal-surname-popularity/.

"Delegal last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/delegal-surname-popularity/. Accessed 6 June, 2025

Delegal last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/delegal-surname-popularity/.

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