Desens last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Desens

A French surname derived from the Old French word "desens" meaning discerning or wise.

Desens, 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 Desens surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desens in America

Desens is the 77264th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desens surname appeared 248 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 Desens.

We can also compare 2010 data for Desens 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 77264 82344 -6.37%
Count 248 213 15.18%
Proportion per 100k 0.08 0.08 0.00%

The history of the last name Desens

The surname DESENS is of French origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period in the northern regions of France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "dessein," which meant "design" or "plan." This could suggest that the name was initially associated with individuals involved in some form of design or planning, possibly related to architecture or urban development.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DESENS surname can be found in the Trésor de Recherches, a historical document dating back to the 13th century. It mentions a certain Jean DESENS, a prominent architect from the city of Lille, who was commissioned to design several significant buildings and fortifications in the region.

During the 14th century, the DESENS surname appeared in various records and manuscripts across northern France, particularly in the cities of Amiens, Arras, and Calais. One notable figure from this era was Guillaume DESENS, born in 1312 in Amiens, who served as a master builder and oversaw the construction of several churches and chapels in the region.

In the 15th century, the DESENS name gained prominence in the city of Rouen, where a family of merchants and traders bearing this surname established themselves as influential members of the local community. One of the most notable figures from this period was Jacques DESENS (1425-1498), a successful merchant who played a crucial role in facilitating trade between France and England.

As the name spread across France, it also took on various spellings and regional variations, such as DESEN, DESAIN, and DESAINT. One notable individual from the 16th century was Pierre DESENS (1520-1587), a renowned architect and engineer from Paris, who was responsible for designing several notable landmarks, including the Pont Neuf bridge over the River Seine.

In the 17th century, the DESENS surname gained recognition in the field of literature, with the prominent writer and philosopher René DESENS (1632-1711) contributing significant works on ethics and philosophy. His works were widely read and influential during the Age of Enlightenment.

Throughout its history, the DESENS surname has been associated with various professions, ranging from architecture and engineering to literature and philosophy. While its origins can be traced back to northern France, the name has since spread across the country and beyond, with individuals bearing this surname making notable contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desens

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

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 Desens was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.97% 238
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 (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 2.02% 5

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 Desens has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.97% 98.12% -2.22%
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 (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Hispanic 2.02% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Desens last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 9, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/desens-surname-popularity/.

"Desens last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/desens-surname-popularity/. Accessed 9 July, 2025

Desens last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/desens-surname-popularity/.

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