2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Desomer
A French surname derived from the location name "de Somer" or "de Someren" in the Netherlands.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Desomer. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Desomer 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Desomer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Desomer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.9%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Desomer
The surname Desomer has its origins in the Dutch and Flemish languages, emerging in the Low Countries region during the late Middle Ages. It is believed to be a locative surname, derived from a place name or geographic location, possibly related to the Dutch word "som" or "somer," which translates to "summer" or "summery."
This surname is found predominantly in the Netherlands and Belgium, particularly in the provinces of North Brabant, Antwerp, and East Flanders. Historical records suggest that the surname Desomer may have been associated with individuals residing in or originating from a specific location, such as a village, town, or region known for its pleasant summer conditions or favorable climate.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Desomer can be traced back to the 15th century in the archives of the city of Antwerp. A document dated 1467 mentions a certain Pieter Desomer, who was a merchant and landowner in the region.
In the 16th century, the Desomer name appears in various Dutch and Flemish records, including tax rolls, census documents, and legal proceedings. One notable individual from this period was Jan Desomer, a skilled artisan and member of the Antwerp Guild of Goldsmiths, who lived between 1520 and 1584.
During the 17th century, the surname Desomer gained recognition in the arts and literature. Willem Desomer (1603-1667) was a renowned Dutch painter known for his portraits and religious works, while Jan Baptist Desomer (1631-1698) was a Flemish poet and playwright who contributed to the cultural renaissance of the Southern Netherlands.
In the 18th century, the Desomer family had a presence in the military and political spheres. Pieter Desomer (1712-1784) was a respected officer in the Dutch East India Company, serving in various colonial outposts in Asia. Meanwhile, Joris Desomer (1738-1810) was a prominent lawyer and statesman who played a role in the Brabant Revolution against Habsburg rule.
Another noteworthy figure bearing the Desomer surname was Antoinette Desomer (1802-1878), a Belgian novelist and feminist writer who advocated for women's rights and education during the 19th century.
Throughout history, the Desomer name has been associated with various professions, from artisans and merchants to artists, writers, and political figures, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who carried this surname across the Low Countries and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Desomer
Among Census respondents with the surname Desomer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.9%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Desomer 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 Desomer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.4% · 107
- Two or more races9.9% · 12
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Desomer
Desomer 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,104 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+6 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,832 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,104 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.2%) | Up 2,832 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 Desomer 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 | #144,141 | #141,309 | 2.0% |
| Count | 115 | 121 | 5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Desomer bearers went from 115 to 121 (+5.2% change). The surname moved up 2,832 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #141,309.
FAQ
Desomer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Desomer?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Desomer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Desomer?
Desomer ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Desomer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Desomer.
Has Desomer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Desomer went from 115 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 6 (+5.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #144,141 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Desomer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Desomer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.9%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Desomer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Desomer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.4%), Two or More Races (9.9%), Black (0.8%). 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 Desomer (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 Desomer mean?
A French surname derived from the location name "de Somer" or "de Someren" in the Netherlands. 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 Desomer (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 common is the surname Desomer?
Want to know how many people are called Desomer? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.