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

Derr, 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 Derr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Derr in America

Derr is the 4749th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Derr surname appeared 7,456 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Derr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Derr 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 Derr

The surname Derr is of German origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Low German word "dere," which means "door" or "gate." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a gatekeeper or a doorman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Derr can be found in the Palatinate region of Germany, where it was spelled as "Dörr" or "Dörre." This spelling variation likely emerged due to regional dialects and differences in pronunciation.

In the 17th century, the name Derr appears in various German church records and parish registers, particularly in the areas around the Rhine River Valley. This indicates that the name was well-established in these regions during that time period.

One notable individual bearing the surname Derr was Johann Philipp Derr, a German composer and organist who lived from 1711 to 1763. He is known for his contributions to the development of church music in the Baroque period.

As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way into other regions, such as Switzerland and the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the name was sometimes spelled as "Derrer" or "Derre."

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many German immigrants bearing the surname Derr made their way to the United States, particularly to Pennsylvania and Ohio. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is found in the records of the German Reformed Church in Philadelphia, where a family by the name of Derr settled in the late 1700s.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Derr in America was John Derr, a soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and is buried in the Old Germantown Mennonite Meetinghouse cemetery in Pennsylvania.

Another prominent figure was George W. Derr, a lawyer and politician from Pennsylvania who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1871 to 1877.

The name Derr has also been associated with various place names, such as Derr Township in Ohio and Derr Hill in Pennsylvania, further reinforcing its historical roots in these regions.

Throughout history, the surname Derr has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, musicians, soldiers, and politicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Derr

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

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

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

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