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

Ducay, 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 Ducay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ducay in America

Ducay is the 108199th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ducay surname appeared 164 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 Ducay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ducay 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 Ducay

The surname Ducay is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the Auvergne region, during the Middle Ages. Its roots can be traced back to the Old French word "ducat," which referred to a type of gold coin minted in the Duchy of Apulia in southern Italy.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Ducay can be found in the archives of the Abbey of Cluny, a prominent Benedictine monastery in Burgundy, France. In a document dated 1274, a certain "Jehan Ducay" is listed as a tenant farmer on the abbey's lands.

As the name spread throughout France and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Ducaye, Ducaye, and Duchet. These variations likely reflect regional dialects and the vagaries of medieval scribes.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Ducay was Guillaume Ducay, a merchant from the city of Lyon who traded extensively with the Italian city-states. His name appears in several commercial contracts and ledgers from that period.

During the Renaissance, the Ducay family produced a notable scholar and theologian, Pierre Ducay (1521-1589). Born in the town of Clermont-Ferrand, he studied at the University of Paris and later became a prominent figure in the Catholic Church, serving as a canon in the Cathedral of Metz.

Another individual of note was Jacques Ducay (1673-1745), a French military officer who served under King Louis XIV. He distinguished himself in several campaigns during the War of the Spanish Succession and rose to the rank of brigadier general.

In the 18th century, the name Ducay was also found in the records of the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti). One such example is Jean-Baptiste Ducay (1740-1802), a plantation owner and member of the colonial elite.

As the name spread beyond France, it also took root in other parts of Europe and the Americas. For instance, in the 19th century, there was a notable Spanish artist named Manuel Ducay (1821-1892), known for his landscapes and genre paintings.

While the surname Ducay is not among the most common in France or elsewhere, it has a rich history that spans multiple centuries and reflects the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the French-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ducay

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

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

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

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