2000
#13,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,028
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.75
Rare Last name
Dyal
An occupational surname for a maker or user of sundials, derived from the Middle English word "dyal."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,398 Americans carry the last name Dyal. That puts it at #13,843 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 142,933 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dyal surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Dyal with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.4K
1 in 142,933
Census rank
#13,843
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,091 bearers of the surname Dyal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13843rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dyal, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.4%) and Black (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dyal
The surname DYAL is believed to have originated in India during the medieval period. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "dhyala," which means "meditation" or "contemplation." This suggests that the name might have been associated with individuals who were deeply spiritual or engaged in religious practices.
In the early records of the Indian subcontinent, variations of the name DYAL can be found, such as "Dhyal," "Dhyaal," and "Dhiaal." These spellings reflect the regional dialects and linguistic variations present across different parts of the region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname DYAL can be traced back to the 13th century, when a renowned poet and mystic named Amir Khusrau Dehlavi (1253-1325) mentioned a disciple named "Dhyal Khan" in his writings. Khusrau, who was a prolific writer and a spiritual figure in the Delhi Sultanate, praised Dhyal Khan's devotion and poetic talents.
In the 16th century, the name DYAL appeared in the chronicles of the Mughal Empire. Malik Dyal, a prominent landowner and military commander, served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1542-1605) and played a crucial role in several military campaigns.
During the 17th century, the DYAL surname gained recognition in the region of Rajasthan, where a warrior named Dyal Singh (1670-1725) rose to prominence. He was a skilled swordsman and a loyal military leader who fought bravely in numerous battles against invading forces.
In the 18th century, the name DYAL was associated with the renowned Sikh philosopher and poet, Bhai Nand Lal Dyal (1733-1783). He was a prominent figure in the Sikh community and wrote extensively on spiritual and philosophical themes, leaving a lasting impact on Sikh literature.
Another notable figure with the DYAL surname was Sir Shadi Lal Dyal (1854-1927), a distinguished Indian civil servant and administrator during the British Raj. He held key positions in various provinces and played a significant role in the governance of British India.
While the surname DYAL has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical origins and the rich cultural heritage associated with this surname remain deeply rooted in the Indian context.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dyal
Among Census respondents with the surname Dyal, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.4%) and Black (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Dyal bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Dyal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.8% · 1,669
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.4% · 175
- Black or African American4.8% · 100
- Two or more races3.3% · 70
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 65
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dyal
Dyal appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,299
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,093
+65 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 587 places
2020
#13,843
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,091
-2 bearers (-0.1%)
Per 100,000 0.70
Rank movement Up 456 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,712 | 2,028 | 0.75 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,299 | 2,093 | 0.71 | +65 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 587 places |
| 2020 | #13,843 | 2,091 | 0.70 | -2 bearers (-0.1%) | Up 456 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Dyal surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,299 | #13,843 | 3.2% |
| Count | 2,093 | 2,091 | -0.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.70 | -1.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dyal bearers went from 2,093 to 2,091 (-0.1% change). The surname moved up 456 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,299 to #13,843.
FAQ
Dyal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dyal?
Name Census estimates that about 2,398 living Americans carry the surname Dyal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 142,933 residents.
How common is Dyal?
Dyal ranks #13,843 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,091 people with the surname Dyal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,398), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.7 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.70 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Dyal.
Has Dyal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dyal went from 2,093 recorded bearers to 2,091. That is a decrease of 2 (-0.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,299 to #13,843.
What does the Census say about the background of Dyal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dyal, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.4%) and Black (4.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Dyal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.8% (1,669 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dyal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8.4%), Black (4.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Dyal (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Dyal mean?
An occupational surname for a maker or user of sundials, derived from the Middle English word "dyal." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Dyal (0.70 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Dyal?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.