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

Desmond, 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 Desmond surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desmond in America

Desmond is the 4783rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desmond surname appeared 7,395 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Desmond.

We can also compare 2010 data for Desmond 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 Desmond

The surname Desmond is of Norman French origin, originating in the 12th century after the Norman Conquest of England. It is derived from the Old French words "de" meaning "of" and "Esmund", a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "es" meaning "divine" and "mund" meaning "protection". The name likely referred to someone who came from a place called Esmund or was associated with someone bearing that name.

The earliest recorded instances of the Desmond name can be found in Medieval English and Irish records. In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with variations of the name, such as Esmundes and Esmondes. These early spellings suggest that the name was well-established in England by the late 11th century.

The Desmond family became particularly prominent in Ireland, where they were among the first Anglo-Norman settlers. In 1329, Maurice FitzGerald was granted the title of Earl of Desmond by King Edward III, making the Desmonds one of the most powerful noble families in Munster. The Earldom of Desmond held significant influence in the region until the 16th century.

One of the most famous bearers of the Desmond name was Thomas Desmond, the 16th Earl of Desmond (c. 1530-1567). He played a central role in the Second Desmond Rebellion against English rule in Ireland, which ultimately led to his downfall and the decline of the Desmond dynasty.

Another notable figure was Gerald Desmond (c. 1610-1681), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who served as the first President of the Irish College in Paris. He was a prominent figure in the Irish diaspora in France during the 17th century.

In the literary world, Hubert Desmond (1901-1979) was an English novelist and playwright known for his works set in rural England, such as "The Hawk and the Honeysuckle" and "The Veldt".

The name Desmond has also been associated with several places throughout the British Isles and Ireland. For example, Desmond Castle in Adare, County Limerick, Ireland, was once the principal seat of the Earls of Desmond.

While the Desmond name has its roots in the Anglo-Norman nobility, it has since spread and been adopted by families of various backgrounds, particularly in Ireland, England, and parts of North America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desmond

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

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

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

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