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

Didion, 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 Didion surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Didion in America

Didion is the 28065th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Didion surname appeared 853 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Didion.

We can also compare 2010 data for Didion 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 Didion

The surname Didion has its origins in the French language and is believed to have originated in the region of Normandy, France during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old French word "dieu," meaning "God," and is thought to have been initially used as a nickname for someone who was particularly pious or devout.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Didion can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, an extensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name may have been brought to England by Norman settlers in the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Didion was relatively uncommon, but it began to gain more prominence in the 16th and 17th centuries. Notable individuals with the surname during this time period include Jean Didion (1550-1625), a French Protestant minister and theologian, and Pierre Didion (1602-1672), a French philosopher and mathematician.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name Didion spread beyond France and England, with individuals bearing the surname appearing in various parts of Europe and North America. One notable figure from this era was Jean-Baptiste Didion (1767-1842), a French military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte.

Moving into the 20th century, the most famous bearer of the Didion surname is undoubtedly Joan Didion (1934-2021), the renowned American writer and essayist. Her works, such as "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" and "The White Album," explored themes of American culture, politics, and society.

Other notable individuals with the surname Didion include Charles Didion (1805-1864), a French politician and lawyer; Henri Didion (1850-1919), a French architect known for his work on the Petit Palais in Paris; and Jean-Claude Didion (1924-2015), a French actor and screenwriter.

While the surname Didion may have originated in France, it has since spread worldwide and has been embraced by individuals from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds, each contributing to the rich tapestry of history and diversity associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Didion

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

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

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

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