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

Desplaines, 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 Desplaines surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desplaines in America

Desplaines is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desplaines surname appeared 103 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 Desplaines.

We can also compare 2010 data for Desplaines 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 Desplaines

The surname Desplaines has its roots in France, where it originated sometime in the Middle Ages. The name is derived from a combination of the French words "des" meaning "of the" and "plaines" meaning "plains" or "flat lands." This suggests that the name likely referred to a person who lived or worked in a region characterized by flat, open landscapes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Livre Terrier de Champagne, a medieval land registry from the Champagne region of northeastern France, dating back to the 13th century. The name is listed as "Desplaines," indicating that the modern spelling was already in use during that time period.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Desplaines family relocated to the Normandy region of northwestern France. Historical records from the city of Rouen mention a Jean Desplaines, born around 1355, who served as a merchant and alderman in the city's guild system.

The name also appears in the Armorial Général, a comprehensive collection of French family coats of arms compiled in the late 17th century under the orders of King Louis XIV. This suggests that the Desplaines family had achieved a certain level of prominence and recognition by that time.

One notable figure bearing the name was Jacques Desplaines, a French explorer and cartographer born in 1670. He is credited with mapping several regions of the Canadian wilderness and contributing to the early exploration of North America.

Another individual of note was Marie-Antoinette Desplaines, born in 1785, who was a prominent figure in the French Revolution. She was known for her fiery speeches advocating for women's rights and equality.

In the 19th century, the Desplaines name appeared in the records of the French military. Émile Desplaines, born in 1832, was a decorated officer who served in the Franco-Prussian War and later became a general in the French army.

While the name has its origins in France, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and emigration. However, the majority of historical records and references to the Desplaines surname can be traced back to its French roots and the regions of Champagne, Normandy, and the surrounding areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desplaines

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

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

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

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