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

Désiré, 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 Désiré surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Désiré in America

Désiré is the 31906th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Désiré surname appeared 723 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 Désiré.

We can also compare 2010 data for Désiré 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 Désiré

The surname DESIRE originated in France during the medieval period, specifically in the regions of Normandy and Brittany. It is derived from the Old French word "desir," meaning "desire" or "longing." This name was likely given as a nickname or descriptive name to individuals who exhibited a strong desire or passion for something, perhaps a trait or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DESIRE can be found in the Livre des bourgeois d'Arras, a manuscript dating back to the 13th century, where a certain Jehan Desire is mentioned. Additionally, the name appears in the 14th century Calendar of Patent Rolls, which contains records of official documents issued by the English Crown.

In the 15th century, the DESIRE surname was particularly prevalent in the Normandy region, with several notable individuals bearing this name. One such person was Guillaume DESIRE, a prominent merchant and landowner from the town of Rouen, born in 1421. Another was Jeanne DESIRE, a noblewoman from the village of Bayeux, who lived between 1460 and 1528.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the DESIRE surname spread across France and into other parts of Europe, as French Huguenots fled religious persecution. One notable figure from this period was Jacques DESIRE, a Huguenot pastor and writer who lived from 1560 to 1635 and authored several influential works on Calvinist theology.

In England, the DESIRE surname can be traced back to the 17th century, likely introduced by French immigrants or through anglicization of similar-sounding names. One of the earliest recorded examples is that of John DESIRE, a merchant from London, born in 1632.

The 19th century saw the rise of several prominent individuals with the DESIRE surname, including:

1. Henri-Eugène DESIRE, a French painter and illustrator born in 1836, known for his works depicting scenes from the French Revolution.

2. Léon DESIRE, a Belgian architect and urban planner born in 1856, who designed several notable buildings in Brussels.

3. Marie DESIRE, a French author and feminist born in 1870, who wrote extensively on women's rights and social issues.

4. Georges DESIRE, a French sculptor and medallist born in 1884, whose works were exhibited at the Paris Salon and are held in various museums.

5. Émile DESIRE, a French aviator and World War I fighter pilot born in 1892, who was awarded the Croix de Guerre for his bravery in combat.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Désiré

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

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

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

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