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

Duty, 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 Duty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Duty in America

Duty is the 7138th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Duty surname appeared 4,685 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Duty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Duty 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 Duty

The surname DUTY originated in England and has its roots in the Middle English word "duetee," which meant "due service or obligation." This word derived from the Old French "deu" and the Latin "debitum," meaning "owed" or "due." The name likely referred to someone who was responsible for collecting or paying dues or taxes.

The earliest known record of the surname DUTY dates back to the 13th century in the county of Oxfordshire, England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a mention of a person named John le Duti, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the name.

During the medieval period, the surname DUTY was primarily found in the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire. It was also associated with several place names, such as Doughty Street in London and Doughty's Hospital, a charitable institution founded in the 17th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DUTY is John Doughty, who was born around 1480 in Oxfordshire. He was a renowned English diplomat and scholar, serving as the ambassador to the Netherlands during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Another notable figure with the surname DUTY was Thomas Doughty, born in 1545 in Gloucestershire. He was a navigator and explorer who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his famous voyage around the world in 1577-1580. Doughty was later executed by Drake for alleged mutiny.

In the 17th century, John Doughty (1598-1672) was a prominent English clergyman and writer. He served as the rector of Cheselborne in Dorset and published several works on theology and philosophy.

William Doughty (1635-1689) was an English merchant and colonist who settled in New York in the 1660s. He played a significant role in the development of Long Island and was granted a large tract of land by the colonial government.

Another notable figure with the surname DUTY was Michael Doughty (1844-1925), an English businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Doughty Street Chambers in London, which became a renowned center for legal practice and education.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname DUTY who have made notable contributions throughout history. The name's origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages in England, and it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Duty

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

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

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

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