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

Dively, 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 Dively surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dively in America

Dively is the 22838th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dively surname appeared 1,121 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 Dively.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dively 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 Dively

The surname Dively has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word "difel," which means "devil" or "demon." This suggests that the name may have been a nickname or descriptive name given to someone with a fiery or devilish personality or appearance.

The Dively surname is thought to have originated in the county of Norfolk, where it was first recorded in the Hundred Rolls of 1273. These rolls were a census-like record of landowners and their holdings, providing valuable insight into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which lists a John Dyvely as a taxpayer in the village of Dersingham, Norfolk. The spelling variations at the time included Dyvely, Dively, and Diveley, reflecting the inconsistencies in record-keeping and spelling conventions of the era.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a collection of records related to land holdings and taxation. A certain Robert Dively is mentioned as a landowner in the county of Norfolk during this period.

During the 16th century, the Dively family established a presence in the county of Yorkshire, where they held lands and estates. One notable figure from this time was William Dively, born in 1542, who served as a magistrate and played a significant role in local governance.

In the 17th century, the Dively surname spread to other parts of England, with records showing families in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. A prominent individual from this era was Sir Thomas Dively, born in 1608, who was a successful merchant and philanthropist in the city of London.

As the centuries progressed, the Dively name continued to appear in various historical records and documents. In the 18th century, John Dively, born in 1712, was a respected scholar and author who wrote extensively on the history and antiquities of his native county of Norfolk.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Dively, born in 1789, who was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education in the early 19th century. Her efforts contributed to the establishment of several schools and educational institutions.

Throughout its long history, the Dively surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, scholars, merchants, and professionals, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical fabric of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dively

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

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

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

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