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

Delf, 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 Delf surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Delf in America

Delf is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Delf surname appeared 134 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 Delf.

We can also compare 2010 data for Delf 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 Delf

The surname DELF originated in England during the late 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word 'delf', meaning a quarry or mine. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a quarry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DELF can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1196, which mention a Richard Delf. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, listing a Henry Delf.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name such as Delfe, Delf, and Delff were common in areas like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. These regions had numerous quarries and mines, which may explain the prevalence of the surname in those areas.

In the 15th century, the surname DELF can be found in the Calendars of the Proceedings in Chancery, which include references to individuals like John Delf (1419) and William Delf (1438).

One notable individual with the surname DELF was Thomas Delf (1490-1558), a wealthy merchant and member of the Grocers' Company in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1551.

Another prominent figure was Sir Ralph Delf (1535-1600), a military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He was knighted for his service in the Dutch Revolt against Spain.

In the 17th century, the surname DELF appears in various parish records and tax rolls, such as the Hearth Tax records of Yorkshire, which list families like the Delfs of Doncaster.

A notable DELF from this period was Edward Delf (1630-1695), a English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Hilgay in Norfolk.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several DELF families in different parts of England, including the Delfs of Staffordshire and the Delfs of Warwickshire.

One notable individual from this time was James Delf (1745-1816), a renowned architect who designed numerous buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Delf

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

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

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

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