2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Dieterly
An Americanized variant of the German surname Ditterly, derived from a diminutive of Diedrich, meaning "People's Ruler".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Dieterly. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dieterly 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Dieterly in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dieterly, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dieterly
The surname Dieterly is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Dieterlein or Dieterle, which were small villages or farmsteads scattered across various regions of Germany.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the church records of Nuremberg, where a certain Hans Dieterlein was mentioned in 1568. This entry suggests that the name may have originated in the Franconian region of Bavaria, where it was likely associated with a particular hamlet or settlement.
As the name spread across different parts of Germany, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Dieterlein, Dieterle, Dieterlin, and Dieterly. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local scribes who recorded the names in official documents.
Among the notable individuals bearing this surname was Johann Dieterly, a prominent scholar and theologian who lived in the 17th century (1620-1692). He was renowned for his contributions to the study of biblical exegesis and his extensive writings on theological subjects.
Another individual of historical significance was Friedrich Dieterly (1792-1865), a German-born artist and engraver who gained recognition for his intricate etchings and engravings depicting landscapes and architectural scenes.
In the 19th century, a certain Wilhelm Dieterly (1818-1896) made a name for himself as a successful businessman and industrialist. He established a thriving manufacturing company in the city of Hamburg, which played a significant role in the region's economic development.
The name Dieterly also found its way into the realms of literature, with the noted German poet and playwright, Anna Dieterly (1856-1928), whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of Hans Dieterly (1892-1976), a renowned architect whose innovative designs left a lasting impact on the urban landscapes of several German cities, including Berlin and Munich.
While the surname Dieterly may have originated from humble beginnings, its rich history and the accomplishments of those who bore it have left an indelible mark across various fields and disciplines throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dieterly
Among Census respondents with the surname Dieterly, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Dieterly 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 Dieterly surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.1% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dieterly
Dieterly 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,364 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-10 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 7,981 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,364 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -10 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 7,981 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 Dieterly 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 | #146,201 | #154,182 | -5.5% |
| Count | 113 | 103 | -8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dieterly bearers went from 113 to 103 (-8.8% change). The surname moved down 7,981 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #154,182.
FAQ
Dieterly surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dieterly?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Dieterly. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Dieterly?
Dieterly ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 103 people with the surname Dieterly. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Dieterly.
Has Dieterly become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dieterly went from 113 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Dieterly?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dieterly, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Dieterly in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.1% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dieterly appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Dieterly (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 Dieterly mean?
An Americanized variant of the German surname Ditterly, derived from a diminutive of Diedrich, meaning "People's Ruler". 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 Dieterly (0.03 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 share the surname Dieterly?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.