2010
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Dyall
A locative surname referring to someone from the town of Deal in Kent, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Dyall. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dyall 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 Dyall with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Dyall in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dyall, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.1%. The next largest groups are White (38.9%) and Hispanic (7.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dyall
The surname Dyall is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Derbyshire, particularly in the village of Dethick, where it was likely derived from the Old English word "deall," meaning "valley" or "dale."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Dyall surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Dethic." This entry suggests that the name was initially a locational surname, referring to someone who hailed from the village of Dethick.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as "Dyal," "Dyall," and "Diall." These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping and the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.
One notable figure bearing the Dyall surname was Sir Robert Dyall (c. 1570-1638), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in the early 17th century. Sir Robert was a prominent landowner and played a significant role in local affairs during his lifetime.
Another individual of historical significance was John Dyall (1668-1737), a renowned clockmaker from London. His clocks were highly regarded for their precision and craftsmanship, and some of his works are still preserved in museums and private collections today.
In the late 18th century, the Dyall family established themselves in the town of Chesterfield, Derbyshire. One member of this branch, William Dyall (1772-1845), was a successful merchant and philanthropist who left a lasting legacy by funding the construction of several schools and churches in the area.
During the 19th century, the Dyall surname spread beyond Derbyshire, with individuals bearing the name making their mark in various fields. One such person was Reverend Thomas Dyall (1805-1876), a prominent clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire.
Another notable figure was Elizabeth Dyall (1827-1908), an English novelist and poet who gained recognition for her works exploring themes of love, loss, and social issues. Her novel "The Willow Brook" was a critically acclaimed work during her lifetime.
While the Dyall surname may not be as widespread as some others, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside, with various branches of the family leaving their mark across different eras and endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dyall
Among Census respondents with the surname Dyall, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.1%. The next largest groups are White (38.9%) and Hispanic (7.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Dyall 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 Dyall surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American53.1% · 60
- White38.9% · 44
- Hispanic or Latino7.1% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dyall
Dyall appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-4 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,113 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 5,113 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 Dyall 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 | #142,108 | #147,221 | -3.6% |
| Count | 117 | 113 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dyall bearers went from 117 to 113 (-3.4% change). The surname moved down 5,113 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #147,221.
FAQ
Dyall surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dyall?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Dyall. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Dyall?
Dyall ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Dyall. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Dyall.
Has Dyall become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dyall went from 117 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Dyall?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dyall, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.1%. The next largest groups are White (38.9%) and Hispanic (7.1%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Dyall in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.1% (60 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dyall appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (53.1%), White (38.9%), Hispanic (7.1%). 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 Dyall (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 Dyall mean?
A locative surname referring to someone from the town of Deal in Kent, England. 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 Dyall (0.04 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 Dyall?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.