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

Dersham, 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 Dersham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dersham in America

Dersham is the 80926th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dersham surname appeared 234 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 Dersham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dersham 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 Dersham

The surname Dersham is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place name, possibly from a town or village that no longer exists or has been renamed.

One theory suggests that Dersham may be derived from the Old English words "deor" meaning "deer" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." This could indicate that the name originated from a place where deer were plentiful or where a deer farm or hunting ground was located.

Another possible origin is that Dersham is a variation of the surname Dereham, which is linked to the town of East Dereham in Norfolk, England. This town's name is derived from the Old English words "deor" (deer) and "ham" (homestead), lending credence to the theory that Dersham may have a similar root.

While there are no definitive records of the surname Dersham in historical documents such as the Domesday Book, it is possible that the name existed in earlier forms or variations that have been lost over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dersham is found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Thame, Oxfordshire, England, where a William Dersham was baptized in 1589. Another early record is from the parish registers of St. Peter's Church in Wootton, Bedfordshire, where a Thomas Dersham married Mary Buckingham in 1634.

Notable individuals with the surname Dersham include:

1. John Dersham (c. 1590-1657), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Gloucester in 1640.
2. Richard Dersham (1670-1742), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the War of the Spanish Succession.
3. Elizabeth Dersham (1722-1798), an English author and poet known for her collection of poems titled "Musings of a Country Maid."
4. Henry Dersham (1805-1879), a British architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in London during the Victorian era.
5. Margaret Dersham (1864-1936), an American educator and suffragist who campaigned for women's voting rights in the early 20th century.

While the surname Dersham is not among the most common surnames today, its history and potential origins offer insight into the rich tapestry of names that have evolved over centuries in England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dersham

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

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

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

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