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

DesCant, 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 DesCant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DesCant in America

DesCant is the 66553rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DesCant surname appeared 297 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 DesCant.

We can also compare 2010 data for DesCant 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 DesCant

The surname Descant has its origins in medieval France, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "descant," which referred to a melodic embellishment or counterpoint sung above a plainchant melody. This musical term found its way into use as a surname for individuals who excelled in vocal embellishments or those associated with the practice of descant singing.

The earliest recorded instances of the Descant surname can be traced back to the northern regions of France, particularly in the areas of Normandy and Brittany. It is likely that the name was adopted by skilled singers or musicians who performed in the great cathedrals and churches of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Descant surname was Jean Descant, a renowned singer and composer who lived in Paris during the late 13th century. His works were widely renowned and performed throughout the courts of Europe during the medieval period.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts, including the "Livre de la Taille" of Paris, which documented tax records. This indicates that the Descant family had established roots in the French capital by this time.

As the Descant surname spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Descante, Descaunt, and Descaunt. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

One notable figure bearing the Descant name was William Descant, a skilled lute player and composer who was active in England during the late 16th century. His works were highly regarded and performed in the court of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Descant surname found its way to the New World, with early settlers bearing the name arriving in the British colonies of North America. Among them was Jacques Descant, born in 1621 in Rouen, France, who later settled in Quebec, Canada, and became a prominent merchant and landowner.

Another notable individual with the Descant surname was Marie-Anne Descant, a French opera singer who gained fame in the late 18th century. Born in 1752 in Paris, she was renowned for her powerful vocals and performed in many of the leading opera houses across Europe during her illustrious career.

As the centuries passed, the Descant surname continued to be associated with music and the arts, with various individuals bearing the name making contributions to various cultural and artistic fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DesCant

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!