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

DeLima, 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 DeLima surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DeLima in America

DeLima is the 13502nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DeLima surname appeared 2,248 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname DeLima.

We can also compare 2010 data for DeLima 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 DeLima

The surname DELIMA has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to be a toponymic name derived from the Portuguese town of Lima, located in the northern region of the country. The town's name is thought to have its roots in the Latin word "limae," meaning "mud banks" or "sludge," referring to the muddy banks of the Lima River that flows through the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DELIMA surname can be found in the archives of the Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, Portugal, where a document from 1481 mentions a certain "João Delima" as a landowner in the region.

During the Age of Exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, many Portuguese explorers and settlers spread across the world, taking their surnames with them. This could explain the presence of the DELIMA name in various Portuguese-influenced regions, such as Brazil, Goa, and parts of Africa.

A notable figure bearing the DELIMA surname was Gaspar de Lemos Delima (1524-1591), a Portuguese explorer and navigator who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his historic voyage around the world. He was one of the few survivors of the expedition and played a crucial role in documenting the journey's events.

Another prominent individual was Father António Delima (1635-1701), a Jesuit priest and missionary who spent many years in Brazil, working to convert indigenous tribes to Christianity. He is credited with establishing several missions and settlements in the Brazilian interior.

In the 19th century, José Delima (1820-1892) was a prominent figure in the fight for Brazilian independence from Portugal. He served as a military commander and played a crucial role in several battles against the Portuguese forces.

Moving into the 20th century, Maria Delima (1902-1987) was a renowned Portuguese writer and poet, known for her works that explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition. Her poetry collections, such as "Canções do Outono" (Songs of Autumn), gained widespread acclaim and established her as a prominent voice in Portuguese literature.

Lastly, António Delima (1924-2001) was a celebrated Portuguese architect who left a lasting impact on the urban landscape of Lisbon and other cities. He was known for his innovative designs that blended traditional Portuguese elements with modern architectural styles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DeLima

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

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

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

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