2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Dybdal
A surname of Danish origin meaning "deep valley".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Dybdal. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dybdal 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.
Bearers in the US
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Dybdal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dybdal, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dybdal
The surname Dybdal is of Danish origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated as a place name, derived from the Old Danish word "dyb," meaning "deep," and "dal," meaning "valley" or "dale." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who resided in or near a deep valley or dale.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dybdal can be found in the Danish census records from the late 15th century, where it appears as "Dybdall." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that time, as they were often adapted or transcribed differently by scribes.
In the 16th century, the name Dybdal gained prominence in the region of Zealand, Denmark's largest and most populated island. Several historical documents from this period, such as parish registers and land records, mention individuals bearing this surname, indicating their presence and significance within local communities.
A notable figure from the 17th century who carried the Dybdal name was Hans Dybdal (1635-1702), a Danish merchant and ship owner. He played a significant role in the maritime trade between Denmark and other Baltic nations, contributing to the country's economic prosperity during that era.
Another individual of historical significance was Niels Dybdal (1781-1857), a Danish theologian and author. He served as a pastor in various parishes and published several works on religious subjects, leaving a lasting impact on the intellectual and spiritual landscape of his time.
In the 19th century, the Dybdal surname appeared in the records of the Danish colony of the Virgin Islands, now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands. This suggests that individuals bearing this name may have been among the early Danish settlers in the Caribbean region.
One notable figure from this period was Peter Dybdal (1810-1888), a Danish-born businessman and landowner who settled in the Virgin Islands. He established several successful plantations and played a prominent role in the local economy and community.
As the centuries progressed, the Dybdal surname continued to be carried by individuals across various professions and geographical locations. However, it remained deeply rooted in its Danish heritage, reflecting the rich cultural and linguistic traditions of its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dybdal
Among Census respondents with the surname Dybdal, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Dybdal 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 Dybdal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 96
- Two or more races3.0% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dybdal
Dybdal 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-19 bearers (-14.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,890 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-13 bearers (-11.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,050 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-14.3%) | Down 24,890 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.4%) | Down 10,050 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 Dybdal 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 | #145,220 | #155,270 | -6.9% |
| Count | 114 | 101 | -11.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dybdal bearers went from 114 to 101 (-11.4% change). The surname moved down 10,050 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #155,270.
FAQ
Dybdal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dybdal?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Dybdal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Dybdal?
Dybdal ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Dybdal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Dybdal.
Has Dybdal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dybdal went from 114 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 13 (-11.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Dybdal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dybdal, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.0%). 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 Dybdal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dybdal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Two or More Races (3.0%), Hispanic (2.0%). 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 Dybdal (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 Dybdal mean?
A surname of Danish origin meaning "deep valley". 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 Dybdal (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Dybdal?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.