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

Desir, 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 Desir surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desir in America

Desir is the 7803rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desir surname appeared 4,241 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Desir.

We can also compare 2010 data for Desir 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 Desir

The surname DESIR originated in France during the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "desir", meaning desire or wish. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname given to someone who was particularly passionate or desirous about something.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DESIR surname can be found in the tax records of the Normandy region from the 13th century, where it was spelled as "Desiré". This suggests that the name was present in northern France during this time.

In the 14th century, the DESIR name appears in various charters and legal documents from the regions of Picardy and Île-de-France. One notable example is Jean DESIR, a merchant from Paris who was mentioned in a trade agreement dated 1367.

The DESIR surname can also be found in the records of the French nobility, such as the Armorial Général de France, which was a registry of noble families compiled in the late 17th century. One notable figure listed was Jacques DESIR, a nobleman from the Champagne region who lived in the early 16th century.

During the Renaissance period, the DESIR name was associated with several scholars and writers. One notable figure was Michel DESIR (1501-1567), a French humanist and philosopher who wrote extensively on topics such as ethics and education.

In the 18th century, the DESIR surname gained prominence in the world of art and literature. One notable figure was Jacques-Louis DESIR (1719-1796), a French painter and engraver who was a member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture.

Another notable bearer of the DESIR name was Pierre-François DESIR (1744-1823), a French playwright and poet who wrote several comedies and satirical works that were popular during the Enlightenment period.

Over the centuries, the DESIR surname has been associated with various place names and locations throughout France. For example, there is a village called Désiré in the Ardennes region, which may have contributed to the development of the surname in that area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desir

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

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

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

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