2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Detroy
Possibly derived from the French "de Troyes", indicating a person from the city of Troyes, France.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Detroy. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Detroy 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
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Detroy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Detroy, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Detroy
The surname DETROY is of French origin, with its roots traced back to the northern regions of France during the medieval period, around the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "detruire," meaning "to destroy," possibly referring to an occupation or a memorable event involving destruction.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 13th-century manuscript "Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Vaast d'Arras," where a certain "Jehan Detroy" is mentioned as a resident of the town of Arras in northern France. This document provides valuable insight into the surname's origin and early usage.
In the 14th century, the name DETROY appeared in various records across northern France, particularly in the regions of Picardy and Artois. It is possible that the name was initially associated with specific localities or place names, such as the town of Detry or Detrie, which may have influenced the spelling variations.
During the 16th century, the DETROY surname gained prominence with the rise of notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Jacques Detroy (1515-1582), a French poet and scholar from Amiens, who gained recognition for his literary works and contributions to the cultural landscape of his time.
Another notable bearer of the DETROY name was Pierre Detroy (1595-1668), a French painter and engraver from Paris. His works, which included religious paintings and engravings, were highly acclaimed during his lifetime and can be found in various museums and collections across Europe.
In the 18th century, the DETROY surname continued to be present in France, with records indicating its presence in regions such as Normandy and Brittany. One remarkable figure was Jean-Baptiste Detroy (1740-1810), a French mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
As the surname spread across Europe, it also found its way to other countries, including Belgium and Switzerland. In the 19th century, a prominent DETROY was Charles Detroy (1822-1895), a Belgian architect renowned for his work on several notable buildings in Brussels, including the Palace of Justice.
Throughout its history, the DETROY surname has been associated with various professions and fields, from literature and arts to science and architecture, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Detroy
Among Census respondents with the surname Detroy, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Detroy 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 Detroy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Detroy
Detroy 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
-15 bearers (-10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,789 places
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-22 bearers (-18.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 18,355 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-10.9%) | Down 19,789 places |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -22 bearers (-18.0%) | Down 18,355 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 Detroy 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 | #137,327 | #155,682 | -13.4% |
| Count | 122 | 100 | -18.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -16.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Detroy bearers went from 122 to 100 (-18.0% change). The surname moved down 18,355 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #155,682.
FAQ
Detroy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Detroy?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Detroy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Detroy?
Detroy ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 100 people with the surname Detroy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Detroy.
Has Detroy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Detroy went from 122 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 22 (-18.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Detroy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Detroy, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Detroy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Detroy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.0%), Hispanic (3.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Detroy (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 Detroy mean?
Possibly derived from the French "de Troyes", indicating a person from the city of Troyes, France. 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 Detroy (0.03 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 Detroy?
See how many people have the surname Detroy on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.