2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Denetso
A surname of Navajo origin meaning "to defecate upon".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Denetso. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Denetso 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.
Bearers in the US
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Denetso in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Denetso, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 74.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.6%) and White (8.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Denetso
The surname DENETSO has its origins in the Navajo Nation, located in the Southwestern United States. The name is derived from the Navajo language, where "Denetso" means "the people who were raised for a long time." This suggests that the name may have been given to a clan or group of individuals who had lived in a particular area for an extended period.
The earliest recorded instances of the name DENETSO can be traced back to the late 18th century. In Navajo oral traditions and historical records, there are mentions of individuals bearing this surname, indicating their prominence within the Navajo community.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname DENETSO was Manuelito (c. 1818-1893), a prominent Navajo leader and warrior who played a significant role in the Navajo Wars against the United States government. He was known for his bravery and resistance to the forced relocation of the Navajo people during the Long Walk of 1864.
Another notable figure was Hosteen Denetso (c. 1835-1919), a renowned Navajo hataalii (medicine man) and herbalist. He was highly respected for his vast knowledge of traditional Navajo healing practices and his contributions to preserving Navajo culture and traditions.
In the late 19th century, Chee Denetso (c. 1870-1937) gained recognition as a skilled silversmith and jewelry maker. His intricate designs and craftsmanship helped to establish the Navajo silversmithing tradition, which continues to be celebrated and admired today.
During the early 20th century, Daaghaalie Denetso (c. 1900-1974) emerged as a prominent Navajo weaver. Her vibrant and intricate textiles were highly sought after, and she played a significant role in preserving and promoting Navajo weaving techniques.
More recently, Roger Denetso (1947-2017) was a respected Navajo artist and sculptor. His works, which often depicted Navajo myths and legends, were exhibited in various galleries and museums across the United States, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Navajo people.
While the surname DENETSO is deeply rooted in the Navajo Nation, it has also been adopted by individuals from other indigenous communities, reflecting the interconnectedness and shared experiences of Native American peoples.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Denetso
Among Census respondents with the surname Denetso, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 74.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.6%) and White (8.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Denetso 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 Denetso surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native74.8% · 77
- Two or more races12.6% · 13
- White8.7% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Denetso
Denetso 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,013 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 413 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 13,013 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 413 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 Denetso 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 | #153,769 | #154,182 | -0.3% |
| Count | 106 | 103 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Denetso bearers went from 106 to 103 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 413 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #154,182.
FAQ
Denetso surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Denetso?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Denetso. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Denetso?
Denetso ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Denetso. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Denetso.
Has Denetso become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Denetso went from 106 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #153,769 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Denetso?
Among Census respondents with the surname Denetso, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 74.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (12.6%) and White (8.7%). 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?
American Indian/Alaska Native is the largest self-reported group for the surname Denetso in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.8% (77 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Denetso appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (74.8%), Two or More Races (12.6%), White (8.7%). 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 Denetso (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 Denetso mean?
A surname of Navajo origin meaning "to defecate upon". 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 Denetso (0.03 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 have the surname Denetso?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.