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

Despres, 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 Despres surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Despres in America

Despres is the 21204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Despres surname appeared 1,238 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 Despres.

We can also compare 2010 data for Despres 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 Despres

The surname Despres originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French phrase 'des pres', which translates to 'of the meadows' or 'from the meadows'. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near or owned land associated with meadows.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Despres can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as 'de Pratis' and 'des Prez', further reinforcing its connection to meadows.

During the Middle Ages, the Despres family played a prominent role in the region of Normandy, France. Notable individuals from this time period include Robert Despres, a knight who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) and was mentioned in chronicles for his bravery in battle.

As the name spread across Europe, it acquired variations in spelling and pronunciation. In England, it was sometimes written as 'Desprayse' or 'Despraise', while in Germany, it took the form 'Despres' or 'Desspres'.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Despres surname was Jean Despres, a French poet and playwright who lived during the 15th century (c. 1420-1480). His works, including 'Le Mystère de la Passion' and 'Le Mystère de la Vengeance', were widely performed and influential in their time.

Another notable figure was Antoine Despres (1529-1599), a French theologian and academic who served as the rector of the University of Paris. He was a renowned scholar and played a significant role in the intellectual and religious debates of the 16th century.

In the 17th century, Jacques Despres (1625-1701) was a French architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the church of Saint-Louis-en-l'Île and the Hôtel de Richelieu.

During the 18th century, Pierre Despres (1742-1811) was a French revolutionary and politician who served as a deputy in the National Convention and was a vocal supporter of the French Revolution.

Moving into the 19th century, Henri Despres (1828-1892) was a French painter and illustrator who gained recognition for his landscapes and genre scenes, often depicting rural life in France.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Despres who have left their mark throughout history, highlighting the rich heritage and diverse contributions associated with this name of French origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Despres

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

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

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

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