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

Dy, 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 Dy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dy in America

Dy is the 15232nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dy surname appeared 1,932 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 Dy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dy 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 Dy

The surname "DY" is believed to have originated in England, and it can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is likely derived from the Old English word "dygge," which means "a ditch or a trench." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a ditch or trench, or perhaps someone who worked in the construction or maintenance of ditches and trenches.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "DY" can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "de Dyke" and "atte Dyke," indicating its association with ditches or dykes.

During the medieval period, the name "DY" was often used as a descriptive surname, referring to the occupation or location of the individual. For example, a person named John Dy may have lived near a ditch or worked as a ditch digger.

In the 13th century, a notable figure with the surname "DY" was Sir William de Dy, a knight who fought in the Crusades under King Richard I. He was born around 1170 and died in 1240.

Another significant person with this surname was Robert Dy, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the city of York during the 14th century. He was involved in various trade and business ventures and played an influential role in the city's economic affairs.

In the 16th century, the name "DY" appears in various historical records, including parish registers and tax records. One notable individual from this period was Elizabeth Dy, who was born in 1542 and was a member of the gentry class in Gloucestershire.

During the 17th century, the name "DY" began to spread across different regions of England. One noteworthy figure was Sir Thomas Dy, a Member of Parliament and a respected landowner in Lincolnshire. He was born in 1610 and died in 1678.

The surname "DY" continued to be prevalent in various parts of England throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. One famous individual from this period was William Dy, a renowned poet and playwright born in 1770 in London. His works were widely celebrated and influenced the literary landscape of his time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dy

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

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

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

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