2000
#5,193
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,180
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.29
Rare Last name
Dew
An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a pond or stream.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,950 Americans carry the last name Dew. That puts it at #5,543 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 49,317 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dew 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Dew with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.0K
1 in 49,317
Census rank
#5,543
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,061 bearers of the surname Dew in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5543rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dew, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (19.2%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dew
The surname DEW is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the areas of England and Wales during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "deaw," meaning "dew" or "moisture." This name was likely originally a descriptive nickname referring to someone who lived near a particularly dewy area or worked in a damp environment.
One of the earliest known recordings of the name DEW can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Deu" in Somerset. This ancient record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the Norman conquest of England.
In the 13th century, various spellings of the name can be found in historical records, such as "Deu" and "Dewe." The variation in spelling was common during this time due to the lack of standardized English orthography.
One notable early bearer of the DEW surname was John Dew, a prominent English merchant who lived in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in several trade records from the city of Bristol, indicating his involvement in the wool trade.
Another historical figure with the DEW surname was Thomas Dew (c. 1550-1620), an English clergyman and academic. He served as the Archdeacon of Suffolk and was a renowned scholar of his time.
In the 17th century, the name DEW appeared in various parts of England and Wales, with several individuals making their mark in different fields. One such individual was Edmund Dew (1628-1701), a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Maldon, Essex.
Moving into the 18th century, we find Samuel Dew (1705-1775), an English poet and playwright who was celebrated for his satirical works. His most famous work, "The Satirical Odes," was published in 1737 and received widespread acclaim.
Another notable bearer of the DEW surname was Sir Thomas Dew (1760-1845), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose through the ranks and was eventually knighted for his distinguished service.
These examples illustrate the historical presence and significance of the DEW surname across various regions of England and Wales, spanning several centuries. While the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has since become a well-established surname with a rich tapestry of historical figures and achievements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dew
Among Census respondents with the surname Dew, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (19.2%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Dew 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 Dew surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.8% · 4,292
- Black or African American19.2% · 1,161
- Two or more races4.6% · 281
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 198
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 66
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 63
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dew
Dew 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
#5,561
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,252
+72 bearers (+1.2%)
Per 100,000 2.12
Rank movement Down 368 places
2020
#5,543
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,061
-191 bearers (-3.1%)
Per 100,000 2.03
Rank movement Up 18 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,193 | 6,180 | 2.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,561 | 6,252 | 2.12 | +72 bearers (+1.2%) | Down 368 places |
| 2020 | #5,543 | 6,061 | 2.03 | -191 bearers (-3.1%) | Up 18 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 Dew 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 | #5,561 | #5,543 | 0.3% |
| Count | 6,252 | 6,061 | -3.1% |
| Per 100K | 2.12 | 2.03 | -4.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dew bearers went from 6,252 to 6,061 (-3.1% change). The surname moved up 18 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,561 to #5,543.
FAQ
Dew surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dew?
Name Census estimates that about 6,950 living Americans carry the surname Dew. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 49,317 residents.
How common is Dew?
Dew ranks #5,543 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,061 people with the surname Dew. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,950), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Dew.
Has Dew become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dew went from 6,252 recorded bearers to 6,061. That is a decrease of 191 (-3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,561 to #5,543.
What does the Census say about the background of Dew?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dew, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.8%. The next largest groups are Black (19.2%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Dew in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.8% (4,292 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dew appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.8%), Black (19.2%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Dew (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 Dew mean?
An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a pond or stream. 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 Dew (2.03 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 many people have the surname Dew?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.