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

Dernier, 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 Dernier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dernier in America

Dernier is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dernier surname appeared 140 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 Dernier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dernier 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 Dernier

The surname Dernier is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "dernier" meaning "last" or "final." This name likely emerged in the medieval period as a descriptive nickname for someone who was the last or youngest child in a family or the last person to arrive or join a particular group or community.

The earliest recorded instances of the Dernier surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. Some of the earliest known bearers of this name include Jean Dernier, mentioned in records from the city of Troyes in 1289, and Guillaume Dernier, a resident of Paris in 1312.

During the Middle Ages, the Dernier name was also associated with several place names, such as Dernier-le-Petit and Dernier-la-Ville, which were small villages or hamlets located in the provinces of Burgundy and Champagne. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname Dernier based on their association with these places.

One notable historical figure bearing the Dernier surname was Jacques Dernier, a French explorer and trader who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Born around 1565 in the city of Rouen, Dernier was one of the first Europeans to establish trade relations with the indigenous peoples of what is now eastern Canada and the Great Lakes region.

Another prominent individual was Pierre Dernier, a French philosopher and theologian who lived in the 17th century (1605-1678). Dernier was a prominent figure in the Jansenist movement, a reform movement within the Catholic Church, and authored several influential works on theology and ethics.

In the 18th century, Antoine Dernier (1718-1788) was a renowned French architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and urban developments in Paris and other French cities during the reign of King Louis XV.

The Dernier surname also gained recognition in the field of literature with the French novelist and poet, Émile Dernier (1820-1892). Born in Lyon, Dernier's works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, and he was considered a leading figure in the Romantic literary movement of the 19th century.

Lastly, Marie Dernier (1875-1945) was a French feminist and activist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement in France during the early 20th century. She campaigned tirelessly for women's rights and was a prominent figure in various organizations advocating for gender equality and social reform.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dernier

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

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

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

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