Find out how popular the last name Derse is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Derse.
A surname of German origin meaning "thresher" or "farm laborer".
Derse, 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 Derse surname is from the 2010 census data.
Derse is the 116829th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Derse surname appeared 149 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 Derse.
We can also compare 2010 data for Derse 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 116829 | 96918 | 18.63% |
Count | 149 | 174 | -15.48% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.05 | 0.06 | -18.18% |
The surname DERSE is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "dersch," which meant "threshing floor" or "barn." This suggests that the name was likely first borne by someone who lived near or worked at a threshing floor or barn.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DERSE can be found in the town of Dersum, located in the German state of Lower Saxony. The town's name is believed to be derived from the same Old German root as the surname, further strengthening the connection between the name and its agricultural origins.
The DERSE name appears to have spread throughout various regions of Germany during the medieval period, with different spelling variations emerging over time. Some of these variations include Dersch, Derscher, and Derschner.
In the 15th century, a man named Hans Derse was recorded as living in the city of Nuremberg, a prominent center of trade and commerce during that time. This early reference suggests that the DERSE name had already established itself within urban areas by the late Middle Ages.
During the 16th century, a notable figure named Johann Derse (born circa 1520) served as a Lutheran pastor in the town of Zittau, located in what is now eastern Germany. His work as a religious leader during the tumultuous period of the Protestant Reformation highlights the DERSE family's presence in this pivotal era of European history.
In the 17th century, a man named Friedrich Derse (1635-1708) was a renowned artist and engraver from the city of Nuremberg. His intricate copperplate engravings depicting biblical scenes and landscapes were highly regarded throughout Europe during his lifetime.
Another notable figure with the DERSE surname was Johann Christian Derse (1715-1789), a German composer and organist who lived in the city of Leipzig. He is credited with composing several choral works and organ pieces that were performed in the churches of Leipzig during the late Baroque period.
As the centuries progressed, the DERSE name continued to spread throughout various regions of Germany, as well as into neighboring countries such as Austria and Switzerland. While the name may have originated from humble agricultural roots, it has since been borne by individuals from diverse walks of life, including artists, religious leaders, and musicians, among others.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Derse.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Derse was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 97.99% | 146 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 0.00% | 0 |
Hispanic Origin | 0.00% | 0 |
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 Derse has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 97.99% | 96.55% | 1.48% |
Black | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Two or More Races | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
Hispanic | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
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 Derse was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/derse-surname-popularity/">Derse last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Derse last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 9, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/derse-surname-popularity/.
"Derse last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/derse-surname-popularity/. Accessed 9 July, 2025
Derse last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/derse-surname-popularity/.
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