2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Diew
A variant spelling of "Dew", derived from a medieval English nickname referring to one with a dewy or fresh complexion.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Diew. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Diew 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Diew in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Diew, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and White (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Diew
The surname DIEW has its origins in England, emerging during the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "diewhol," which translates to "precious" or "valuable." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone who was highly regarded or esteemed within their community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the DIEW surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1327, where a certain John Diewe is mentioned as a taxpayer. This entry provides valuable insight into the early spelling variations of the name, which often fluctuated due to inconsistent record-keeping practices of the time.
In the late 15th century, the DIEW surname appears in the Paston Letters, a collection of historical correspondence between members of the influential Paston family. The letters mention a Richard Diew, who was a servant in the Paston household, serving as a testament to the widespread use of the surname across various social strata during that era.
Among the notable individuals bearing the DIEW surname throughout history is Sir Thomas Diew, a prominent landowner and military commander who lived in the late 16th century. He was knighted for his valiant service during the Anglo-Spanish War and played a significant role in defending England against the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Another figure of historical importance was Elizabeth Diew (1640-1712), a renowned Quaker writer and activist who advocated for religious tolerance and women's rights. Her published works, including "A Treatise on the Inward Light" and "Reflections on the Equality of the Sexes," gained widespread recognition and influenced the Quaker community in England and the American colonies.
In the 18th century, the DIEW surname found its way into the literary world through the works of novelist and playwright William Diew (1725-1789). His most notable work, "The Trials of Virtue," a satirical play commenting on societal norms, was widely acclaimed and performed throughout England during his lifetime.
Additionally, the DIEW surname can be traced back to the village of Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, which was once known as "Diewsbury" in its earlier spelling. This connection suggests that some bearers of the surname may have originated from or resided in this area, further solidifying the name's English roots.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Diew
Among Census respondents with the surname Diew, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and White (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Diew 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 Diew surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American86.3% · 101
- Two or more races5.1% · 6
- White4.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Diew
Diew appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 129 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 129 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 Diew 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 | #144,141 | #144,270 | -0.1% |
| Count | 115 | 117 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Diew bearers went from 115 to 117 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 129 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #144,270.
FAQ
Diew surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Diew?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Diew. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Diew?
Diew ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 117 people with the surname Diew. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Diew.
Has Diew become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Diew went from 115 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Diew?
Among Census respondents with the surname Diew, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and White (4.3%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Diew in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.3% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Diew appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (86.3%), Two or More Races (5.1%), White (4.3%). 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 Diew (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 Diew mean?
A variant spelling of "Dew", derived from a medieval English nickname referring to one with a dewy or fresh complexion. 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 Diew (0.04 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 Diew?
You can see how common the surname Diew is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.