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

Derrick, 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 Derrick surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Derrick in America

Derrick is the 3779th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Derrick surname appeared 9,365 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 Derrick.

We can also compare 2010 data for Derrick 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 Derrick

The surname Derrick is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Derīc," which itself comes from the Germanic root "derīk," meaning "ruler of the people." This name was often given to those born into positions of authority or leadership within their communities.

One of the earliest known references to the name Derrick can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1199, where it appears as "Deric." Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, with variants such as Deryck, Derick, and Derrik also appearing in historical records.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners and estates in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be related to the name Derrick. For example, a "Derīc" is listed as a tenant in the county of Gloucestershire, while a "Derīcus" is recorded as a landholder in Somerset.

The earliest recorded individual with the surname Derrick is likely William Derrick, who was born in the early 13th century and served as the Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire in 1258. Another notable figure was John Derrick (c. 1490-1555), an English courtier and diplomat who served under King Henry VIII and was involved in negotiations with France and the Holy Roman Empire.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Derrick surname began to spread across England, with several prominent families emerging. One such family was based in Hertfordshire, where they held the manor of West Dereham. Sir Thomas Derrick (1570-1638), a member of this family, was a Member of Parliament and served as a Justice of the Peace for the county.

Another notable individual was Robert Derrick (1625-1662), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Discourse of the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist." He was a chaplain to King Charles II and was involved in the restoration of the Church of England after the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the Derrick surname continued to be well-represented in various fields. Thomas Derrick (1744-1805) was an English actor and playwright who wrote several comedies and adaptations of works by French playwrights. He also managed several theaters in London and founded the Derrick Club, a society for actors and literary figures.

As the name Derrick spread beyond England, it also took root in other parts of the British Isles and the colonies. For example, in the 19th century, John Derrick (1820-1888) was a prominent businessman and philanthropist in New Brunswick, Canada, where he established several successful companies and supported various charitable causes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Derrick

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

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

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

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