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

Demetrius, 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 Demetrius surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Demetrius in America

Demetrius is the 42455th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Demetrius surname appeared 511 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 Demetrius.

We can also compare 2010 data for Demetrius 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 Demetrius

The surname Demetrius has its origins in ancient Greece, where it was derived from the Greek name Demetrios, meaning "follower of Demeter" – the goddess of agriculture and fertility. The name was popular in the Hellenic era and appears in various historical records and manuscripts from that time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Demetrius I Poliorcetes, a Macedonian king who ruled from 294 to 288 BC. He was known as the "Besieger of Cities" for his military campaigns and siege warfare tactics. Another notable figure was Demetrius of Phalerum, an Athenian orator, statesman, and philosopher who lived in the late 4th century BC.

As the Roman Empire expanded, the name Demetrius spread throughout the Mediterranean region and beyond. In the Middle Ages, it was often Latinized as Demetrius or Demetrius. One prominent individual was Demetrius Cydones, a 14th-century Byzantine scholar and statesman who played a crucial role in the attempted reunification of the Eastern and Western churches.

The name also found its way to Britain, where it was recorded in various forms, such as Demetrius, Demetry, and Demetre. One of the earliest known English bearers was Sir Demetrius de Everyngham, a knight who lived in the late 13th century and whose name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273.

Another notable figure was Demetrius Cantemir, a Moldavian prince, scholar, and writer who lived from 1673 to 1723. He is renowned for his work in the fields of history, linguistics, and ethnography, as well as his contributions to the development of Moldavian culture.

In the 19th century, Demetrius Ypsilantis was a prominent Greek military leader and revolutionary who played a significant role in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. He was born in 1793 and died in 1832.

While the surname Demetrius is not as common today as it was in ancient and medieval times, it has left a lasting legacy, with various place names and geographical locations bearing the name or its derivatives. The name continues to be used, carrying with it a rich historical and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Demetrius

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

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

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

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