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

Doss, 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 Doss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Doss in America

Doss is the 1687th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Doss surname appeared 21,366 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Doss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Doss 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 Doss

The surname Doss originates from England, appearing as early as the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "doss," meaning a bushy tuft or cluster of hair, likely referring to someone with a distinctive hairstyle. The name was initially found in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, one of the earliest records of English surnames, there is an entry for a Richard Doss from Yorkshire. The Doss name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1327, suggesting its spread across different regions.

The Domesday Book, the great survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain the Doss surname, indicating its emergence in later centuries. However, it does mention several places with similar-sounding names, such as Dossemere in Lincolnshire and Dossland in Suffolk, which may have influenced the surname's development.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Doss surname was John Doss, born around 1420 in Wakefield, Yorkshire. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, known for his involvement in the local wool trade.

Another notable figure was Sir William Doss (1525-1592), a military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I during the Anglo-Spanish War. He was knighted for his bravery in the Battle of Gravelines in 1588.

In the 17th century, Thomas Doss (1617-1687) was a respected theologian and author from Surrey, known for his work "A Treatise on the Doctrine of Predestination."

During the 18th century, Mary Doss (1738-1812) gained recognition as a pioneering educator and founder of one of the first schools for girls in London.

In the 19th century, Sir Charles Doss (1822-1901) was a prominent politician and philanthropist from Yorkshire, serving as a Member of Parliament and contributing to various charitable causes.

Throughout its history, the Doss surname has been associated with various places, including Dossland in Suffolk, Dossington in Gloucestershire, and Dossvale in Derbyshire, reflecting its geographic spread across England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Doss

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

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

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

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