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

Desmarais, 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 Desmarais surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desmarais in America

Desmarais is the 7933rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desmarais surname appeared 4,170 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 Desmarais.

We can also compare 2010 data for Desmarais 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 Desmarais

The surname Desmarais has its origins in France, specifically in the northern region of Normandy. It is believed to have emerged during the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old French words "des" meaning "of" or "from" and "marais" meaning "marsh" or "swamp". This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a marshy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the historic Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The entry "Radulfus de Marais" is documented, indicating the presence of the name in Normandy during that time period.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Jean Desmarais, a French military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War against the English. He was born around 1320 and served under King Philip VI of France.

During the 16th century, the name appeared in various records in the Normandy region, with variations in spelling such as "Des Maretz" and "De Marais". One notable individual from this era was Gilles Desmarais, a French painter and sculptor who was born in Rouen in 1540 and gained recognition for his religious works.

In the 17th century, the name Desmarais became more widespread across France. One prominent figure was Louis-Nicolas Desmarais, a French playwright and author born in Paris in 1670. He is best known for his plays "Le Grondeur" and "La Fausse Antipathie".

Moving into the 18th century, a significant figure bearing the name was Jacques-Philippe Desmarais, a French architect and engineer born in 1745. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Paris, including the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur.

Throughout its history, the surname Desmarais has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, artists, writers, and architects. While its origins can be traced back to the marshy regions of Normandy, the name has since spread across France and beyond, representing a rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desmarais

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

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

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

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