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

Dewald, 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 Dewald surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dewald in America

Dewald is the 9875th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dewald surname appeared 3,275 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Dewald.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dewald 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 Dewald

The surname DEWALD is of German origin, first appearing in records during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Germanic words "de walda," meaning "from the forest." This suggests that the name likely originated from someone who lived near or worked in a forested area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various German regions, particularly in areas such as Bavaria and Saxony, where it was commonly used to identify families or individuals residing in or near wooded areas. In some cases, the name may have been adopted as a descriptive surname for those whose occupations were related to forestry or woodworking.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Heinrich Dewald, a German woodcarver and sculptor who lived in the 15th century. His intricate woodcarvings adorned several churches and monasteries in the region of Franconia, and his work is still celebrated today as a fine example of late Gothic art.

In the 16th century, the Dewald family played a significant role in the German Reformation. Johannes Dewald (1500-1572) was a prominent Lutheran theologian and reformer who worked alongside Martin Luther and assisted in translating the Bible into German.

During the 17th century, the DEWALD name appeared in several historical records, including the chronicles of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). One notable figure was Matthias Dewald (1610-1678), a German military officer who served under King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden during the war and later became a respected military strategist.

In the 18th century, the name DEWALD continued to be found in various German regions, with some families holding positions of prominence. Johann Dewald (1725-1798) was a renowned composer and organist from Saxony, whose works contributed significantly to the development of sacred music during the Baroque period.

Another notable bearer of the name was Karl Dewald (1782-1859), a German historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of the Reformation and the Thirty Years' War. His comprehensive works are still widely referenced by scholars studying that period in European history.

As the name spread beyond German borders, it also found its way into other European countries and eventually overseas. In the 19th century, several individuals with the surname DEWALD emigrated to North America, contributing to the diversity of the name's geographic distribution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dewald

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

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

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

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