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

Durrett, 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 Durrett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Durrett in America

Durrett is the 9658th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Durrett surname appeared 3,361 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Durrett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Durrett 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 Durrett

The surname Durrett has its origins in England, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "deor" meaning wild animal or deer, and "hyrst" meaning a wooded hill or thicket. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a deer-inhabited forest or wooded area.

Historical records indicate that the name first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Dereherst." This early form of the name lends credence to the theory of its connection to deer and wooded areas. Over time, the name evolved to take on various spellings, such as Durreth, Durrett, and Durratt, before settling on its modern form, Durrett.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Durrett can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire from 1206, where a William Durret is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already begun to establish itself in the region during the early 13th century.

In the 14th century, there are records of a John Durrett, who was a landowner in the village of Bilston, Staffordshire. This John Durrett is believed to have been born around 1320, further solidifying the presence of the name in the West Midlands region of England.

During the Tudor period, the name Durrett gained some prominence with the mention of Sir Edward Durrett (1505-1572), who served as a member of Parliament and held various positions in the English court under the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

Moving into the 17th century, one notable figure was Thomas Durrett (1635-1701), a businessman and merchant from London who amassed considerable wealth through his trading ventures. His success contributed to the recognition of the Durrett name in the capital city.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in the works of renowned authors, such as Samuel Richardson's novel "Clarissa" (1748), where a character named Mr. Durrett is mentioned. This literary reference further solidified the name's place in English culture and society.

Throughout its history, the surname Durrett has also been associated with various place names, such as Durrett's Wood in Worcestershire and Durrett's Coppice in Warwickshire, both of which likely originated from individuals bearing the name who resided in or owned those areas.

While these examples provide a glimpse into the rich history and evolution of the surname Durrett, it is important to note that records from earlier periods may have been lost or incomplete, leaving aspects of the name's origins open to further research and interpretation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Durrett

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

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

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

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