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

Detwiler, 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 Detwiler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Detwiler in America

Detwiler is the 6918th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Detwiler surname appeared 4,849 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Detwiler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Detwiler 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 Detwiler

The surname Detwiler has its origins in Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old German words "dett" and "will," which together mean "the will of the people" or "people's desire."

One of the earliest known references to the name Detwiler can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 14th century, where it appears as "Dettwiller." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

During the 16th century, the name Detwiler began to spread beyond its origins in southern Germany. In 1532, a record from the town of Strasbourg mentions a certain Hans Detwiler, a merchant and landowner. Around the same time, the name also appears in various church records and tax rolls in neighboring areas.

The 17th century saw the emergence of notable individuals bearing the Detwiler surname. One such person was Johann Detwiler (1621-1694), a renowned theologian and author who served as a pastor in the city of Nuremberg. Another was Peter Detwiler (1638-1712), a prominent politician and diplomat who represented the Holy Roman Empire in several important negotiations.

As the centuries progressed, the Detwiler name continued to spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, where they became known as "Dettwiler." One notable Swiss Dettwiler was Johann Jakob Dettwiler (1758-1832), a renowned artist and engraver whose works can be found in museums across Europe.

The 19th century saw the arrival of the Detwiler name in North America, as many German immigrants sought new opportunities in the United States and Canada. One of the earliest recorded Detwilers in America was Jacob Detwiler (1789-1867), a farmer and landowner who settled in Pennsylvania.

Throughout history, the Detwiler surname has been associated with a diverse range of professions and achievements. From academics and artists to politicians and entrepreneurs, individuals bearing this name have made their mark across various fields. Some other notable Detwilers include Michael Detwiler (1808-1880), a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Ohio, and Albert Detwiler (1879-1958), a noted American architect and designer.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Detwiler

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

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

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

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