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

Distance, 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 Distance surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Distance in America

Distance is the 149395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Distance surname appeared 110 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 Distance.

The history of the last name Distance

The surname DISTANCE is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "distance," which referred to a physical separation or interval between two points. The name may have been originally used as a descriptive term for someone who lived or traveled a significant distance from a particular location.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, one of the earliest surviving public records in England, there is a mention of a person named John le Distance, indicating the existence of this surname during that time period. The usage of the prefix "le" before the surname suggests that it was initially treated as a descriptive nickname.

The name DISTANCE is also found in the Pipe Rolls, a series of medieval financial records maintained by the Exchequer of England. These records mention individuals with this surname, such as William Distance, who was recorded in 1296, and Robert Distance, who appeared in 1311.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DISTANCE can be found in the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which list a Richard Distance residing in Yorkshire. This document provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames across different regions of England during the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname DISTANCE began to appear in various parish records and other historical documents. Notable individuals from this period include John Distance, born in 1522 in Suffolk, and William Distance, born in 1567 in Lincolnshire.

During the 17th century, the name DISTANCE gained prominence with several notable figures. One such individual was Thomas Distance (1616-1688), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.

Another prominent individual with the surname DISTANCE was Mary Distance (1632-1712), a writer and philosopher who was actively involved in the intellectual circles of her time. Her works explored themes of religion, morality, and the nature of human existence.

In the 18th century, the DISTANCE surname continued to be well-represented. One notable figure was Edward Distance (1743-1819), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of England from 1801 to 1813.

Throughout history, the surname DISTANCE has also been associated with various place names and locations. For example, there is a village called Distance in Derbyshire, England, which may have influenced the development and distribution of this surname in the surrounding areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Distance

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

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 Distance 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.

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

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

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