2000
#9,080
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,308
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.23
Rare Last name
Dice
An occupational surname for someone who played dice or worked with dice, possibly as a dice maker or gambler.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,721 Americans carry the last name Dice. That puts it at #9,582 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 92,114 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dice 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
3.7K
1 in 92,114
Census rank
#9,582
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,245 bearers of the surname Dice in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9582nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dice, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dice
The surname DICE is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from the Old English word "dic," which means a ditch or dike. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near a ditch or a dike, and were identified by their proximity to this geographical feature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DICE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire, dated 1199, where it appears as "de Diche." This entry indicates that the name was initially spelled with a "ch" sound, which later evolved into the modern spelling of "DICE."
In the 13th century, the surname DICE appeared in various forms, such as "de la Diche" and "atte Diche," reflecting the common practice of using prepositions to indicate a person's association with a particular place or location.
The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a certain William de la Diche, suggesting that the name was well-established in England by that time.
One notable figure in history who bore the surname DICE was Sir Ralph Dice (c. 1380 - c. 1440), a prominent English soldier and landowner who served under King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War. He is mentioned in several historical records, including the Inquisitions Post Mortem, which document his land holdings and military service.
Another individual of note was John Dice (c. 1550 - 1628), an English Puritan minister and author, known for his work "The Doctrine of Persecution Unmasked" (1615), which criticized religious persecution and advocated for religious tolerance.
In the 17th century, the surname DICE appeared in various parishes across England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Thomas Dice (c. 1620 - 1688), a English landowner and magistrate from Oxfordshire.
During the 18th century, the surname DICE was found in various parts of England, including London and the surrounding counties. One notable figure was William Dice (1717 - 1797), a successful merchant and ship owner from the port town of Whitby, Yorkshire.
In the 19th century, the surname DICE continued to be well-represented in various parts of England, with notable individuals such as John Dice (1787 - 1865), a prominent industrialist and philanthropist from Birmingham, who played a significant role in the development of the city's metalworking industry.
Throughout its history, the surname DICE has been associated with various occupations and social classes, from soldiers and landowners to merchants, industrialists, and clergymen. While its origins can be traced back to a locational descriptor, the name has since taken on a broader significance and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and achievements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dice
Among Census respondents with the surname Dice, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Dice 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 Dice surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.4% · 2,868
- Black or African American5.5% · 178
- Two or more races2.8% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 80
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dice
Dice 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
#9,587
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,391
+83 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Down 507 places
2020
#9,582
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,245
-146 bearers (-4.3%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Up 5 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,080 | 3,308 | 1.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,587 | 3,391 | 1.15 | +83 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 507 places |
| 2020 | #9,582 | 3,245 | 1.09 | -146 bearers (-4.3%) | Up 5 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 Dice 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 | #9,587 | #9,582 | 0.1% |
| Count | 3,391 | 3,245 | -4.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.15 | 1.09 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dice bearers went from 3,391 to 3,245 (-4.3% change). The surname moved up 5 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,587 to #9,582.
FAQ
Dice surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dice?
Name Census estimates that about 3,721 living Americans carry the surname Dice. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 92,114 residents.
How common is Dice?
Dice ranks #9,582 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,245 people with the surname Dice. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,721), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.09 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Dice.
Has Dice become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dice went from 3,391 recorded bearers to 3,245. That is a decrease of 146 (-4.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,587 to #9,582.
What does the Census say about the background of Dice?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dice, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Black (5.5%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Dice in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (2,868 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dice appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.4%), Black (5.5%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Dice (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 Dice mean?
An occupational surname for someone who played dice or worked with dice, possibly as a dice maker or gambler. 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 Dice (1.09 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 last name Dice?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Dice on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.