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

Dolphus, 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 Dolphus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dolphus in America

Dolphus is the 99378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dolphus surname appeared 182 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 Dolphus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dolphus 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 Dolphus

The surname DOLPHUS is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, specifically in the counties of Devon and Somerset. It is derived from the Old English words "dael" meaning "dell" or "valley" and "hus" meaning "house," indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a house or dwelling located in a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where it is spelled as "Dolffus." This suggests that the name was already established and in use by the early 14th century. In the 1524 Subsidy Rolls for Devon, the spelling "Dolphus" appears, indicating a more standardized form of the name.

The DOLPHUS surname is not mentioned in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This absence suggests that the name likely emerged or gained prominence after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals bore the DOLPHUS surname. John Dolphus (1537-1607) was a prominent English merchant and Member of Parliament for Salisbury in 1597. Another notable figure was William Dolphus (1590-1673), a respected theologian and author of several religious treatises.

In the 18th century, the DOLPHUS name appears in various parish records and historical documents. One notable example is Richard Dolphus (1725-1789), who served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1771. Another individual of note was Mary Dolphus (1742-1823), a renowned philanthropist and benefactor who established several charitable institutions in her hometown of Exeter.

Moving into the 19th century, the DOLPHUS surname continued to be represented in various fields. Sir Edward Dolphus (1810-1887) was a prominent British naval officer who served with distinction during the Crimean War. Additionally, James Dolphus (1835-1912) was a celebrated author and poet, best known for his collection of works titled "The Valleys of Devon."

Throughout its history, the DOLPHUS surname has been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in the counties of Devon and Somerset. Examples include the village of Dolphus Cross in Devon and the hamlet of Dolphus Green in Somerset, both of which may have derived their names from individuals bearing the DOLPHUS surname who resided in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dolphus

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

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

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

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