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

Desert, 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 Desert surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desert in America

Desert is the 136449th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desert surname appeared 123 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 Desert.

The history of the last name Desert

The surname Desert is of French origin, deriving from the Old French word "desert," which meant "uninhabited or deserted land." The name likely emerged in the 12th or 13th century, referring to individuals who lived in remote, sparsely populated areas or settlements.

Records of the name can be found in various medieval documents, including the Rolles Gascons, a collection of records relating to the English administration of Gascony in the 13th and 14th centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances is Jean de Desert, mentioned in the Rolles Gascons in 1273.

In England, the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire from the late 13th century, where it appears as "Deserte" or "Dessert." This variation in spelling was common in those times due to the lack of standardized orthography.

The name Desert may also have derived from place names containing the word "desert," such as Desert-sur-le-Loire in France or Deserto in Italy. Some notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Antoine Desert (1609-1690), a French architect and engineer known for his work on the Canal du Midi in Southern France.
2. Pierre Desert (1598-1675), a French painter and engraver who worked in the Baroque style.
3. William Desert (c. 1420-1480), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in 1472.
4. Jean Desert (c. 1450-1520), a French churchman who served as the Bishop of Lavaur in the late 15th century.
5. Étienne Desert (c. 1570-1630), a French composer and organist active during the Renaissance period.

The surname Desert, while not exceedingly common, has left its mark on history through various notable individuals across different fields, from architecture and art to politics and religion. Its origins in the Old French language and association with remote or uninhabited areas reflect the rich tapestry of cultural influences woven into many European surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desert

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

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 Desert 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.

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

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

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