Devereaux
A French habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "from Évreux," referring to a town in Normandy.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,593 Americans carry the last name Devereaux. That puts it at #8,383 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.34 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 74,625 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Devereaux surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
4.6K
1 in 74,625
Census rank
#8,383
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,949 bearers of the surname Devereaux in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.34 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8383rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Devereaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.7%. The next largest groups are Black (12.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Devereaux
The surname Devereaux is of Anglo-Norman origin and dates back to the 11th century. It is derived from the ancient town of Evreux in Normandy, France. The name is a locational surname, which means it was originally given to someone who came from or lived near the town of Evreux.
The name is believed to have been introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It was initially spelled as "de Evreux" or "de Evreux-Normandie" to indicate the bearer's place of origin. Over time, it evolved into the more Anglicized form of "Devereaux" or "Devereux."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Evreux," indicating that the bearer was of Norman descent and hailed from the town of Evreux.
In the 12th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Robert Devereux, who served as the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire in 1155. Another early record is that of Sir Walter Devereux, who accompanied King Richard I on the Third Crusade to the Holy Land in 1191.
The Devereux family gained prominence in the 16th century with Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (1541-1576), who was a prominent courtier and military leader during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His son, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1567-1601), was a favorite of the Queen but later fell out of favor and was executed for treason.
Other notable individuals with the surname Devereux include:
1. Thomas Devereux, 4th Viscount Hereford (1572-1619), an English nobleman and politician.
2. Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex (1591-1646), an English Civil War leader who fought for the Parliamentarian cause.
3. Walter Devereux, 5th Viscount Hereford (1578-1558), an English soldier and courtier during the reign of King Charles I.
4. Georges Devereux (1908-1985), a French-American ethnologist and psychoanalyst known for his work in cultural anthropology.
5. Anita Devereux (1937-2005), a British writer and artist who authored several books on art and culture.
Throughout history, the Devereaux surname has been associated with prominent figures in various fields, including politics, military, and the arts. Its origins can be traced back to the Norman conquest of England, and it has evolved from its original form to reflect the Anglicization of French surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Devereaux
Among Census respondents with the surname Devereaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.7%. The next largest groups are Black (12.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Devereaux bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Devereaux surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.7%
- Black or African American12.8%
- Hispanic or Latino3.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.1%
- Two or more races1.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Devereaux surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,155 | #8,383 | -2.8% |
| Count | 3,742 | 3,949 | 5.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.39 | 1.34 | -3.6% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Devereaux bearers went from 3,742 to 3,949 (+5.5% change). The surname moved down 228 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,155 to #8,383.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Devereaux
FAQ
Devereaux surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Devereaux?
The surname Devereaux holds position #8,383 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 4,593 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.34 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Devereaux surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Devereaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.7%. The next largest groups are Black (12.8%) and Hispanic (3.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.