2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Desilvey
Of French origin, meaning "from the woods" or "from the forest".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Desilvey. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Desilvey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Desilvey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Desilvey, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Two or More Races (6.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Desilvey
The surname DESILVEY is believed to have originated in the Normandy region of northern France during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French words "de" meaning "from" and "silvé" meaning "wooded" or "forested." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or came from a heavily wooded area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 12th century, when a Norman knight named Raoul de Silvey was mentioned in a manuscript detailing the conquests of Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade. This suggests that the name had already been established in Normandy by this time.
Another early reference to the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name "Willelmus de Silvei" is listed among the tenants of a manor in Gloucestershire, indicating that someone with a similar name had likely accompanied William on his conquest of England in 1066.
As the name spread throughout Europe, various spellings emerged, including de Silvey, de Sylvey, and de Silvei. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of individual scribes.
One notable figure with the DESILVEY surname was Jean de Silvey, a French scholar and philosopher who lived during the 13th century. He wrote extensively on topics such as logic and metaphysics and was instrumental in the development of medieval scholasticism.
Another prominent individual was Robert de Silvey, a 14th-century English architect who is credited with designing several magnificent churches and cathedrals, including portions of Canterbury Cathedral and York Minster.
In the 15th century, a DESILVEY family established itself in the village of Silveytown, located in the English county of Wiltshire. It is believed that the village's name was derived from this family's surname, further cementing their connection to the region.
During the 16th century, a wealthy merchant named Richard DESILVEY made his fortune in the textile trade and was instrumental in the founding of several charitable organizations in London. His descendants continued to play an influential role in the city's affairs for generations.
One of the more recent notable individuals with the DESILVEY surname was Emily DESILVEY, a 19th-century British artist and activist who was a prominent figure in the suffragette movement. Her paintings and drawings depicting scenes from the struggle for women's rights are now considered important historical documents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Desilvey
Among Census respondents with the surname Desilvey, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Two or More Races (6.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Desilvey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Desilvey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.4% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino8.0% · 9
- Two or more races6.3% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.6% · 4
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Desilvey
Desilvey appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-11 bearers (-8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,305 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 701 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.9%) | Down 19,305 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 701 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Desilvey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #147,253 | #147,954 | -0.5% |
| Count | 112 | 112 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Desilvey bearers went from 112 to 112 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 701 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #147,954.
FAQ
Desilvey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Desilvey?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Desilvey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Desilvey?
Desilvey ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Desilvey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Desilvey.
Has Desilvey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Desilvey went from 112 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Desilvey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Desilvey, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.0%) and Two or More Races (6.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Desilvey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.4% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Desilvey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.4%), Hispanic (8.0%), Two or More Races (6.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Desilvey (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Desilvey mean?
Of French origin, meaning "from the woods" or "from the forest". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Desilvey (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Desilvey?
You can see how common the surname Desilvey is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.