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

Desporte, 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 Desporte surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Desporte in America

Desporte is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Desporte surname appeared 140 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 Desporte.

We can also compare 2010 data for Desporte 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 Desporte

The surname Desporte has its origins in France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "desporter," meaning "to divert" or "to amuse." The name was likely given to those who engaged in activities related to entertainment or recreation, such as jesters, acrobats, or performers.

The earliest known records of the Desporte name can be found in the northern regions of France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Picardy, where it was prevalent during the 13th and 14th centuries. Some variations in spelling include Desport, Desports, and De Sporte.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Jacques Desporte was recorded as a court jester in the household of King Charles VI of France (1368-1422). His role as an entertainer for the royal court likely contributed to the association of the name with performers and entertainers.

Another historical reference to the Desporte name can be found in the Burgundian archives, where a certain Jean Desporte was mentioned as a skilled acrobat and dancer who performed at various noble events in the 15th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Desporte in England dates back to the 16th century, when a family of that name settled in the county of Kent. This branch of the Desporte family produced several notable individuals, including Thomas Desporte (1566-1638), a prominent merchant and landowner.

In the 17th century, a French Huguenot named Pierre Desporte (1610-1678) fled religious persecution and sought refuge in England, where he became a respected silk weaver and established a successful textile business in London.

During the 18th century, a family of Desportes (a variant spelling) gained prominence in the United States. One of its members, René Desportes (1725-1802), served as a colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became a respected landowner in Virginia.

As the centuries progressed, the Desporte name spread across various regions and countries, with individuals bearing this surname making notable contributions in various fields, including the arts, literature, and academia. Some notable figures with the Desporte surname include Edmond Desporte (1857-1918), a French sculptor, and André Desporte (1919-2006), a renowned French writer and poet.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Desporte

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

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

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

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