Dye
An occupational surname referring to someone who dyed fabrics or worked with dyes.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 32,733 Americans carry the last name Dye. That puts it at #1,246 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 9.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 10,471 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dye surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
33K
1 in 10,471
Census rank
#1,246
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
9.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
28K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 28,182 bearers of the surname Dye in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 9.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1246th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dye, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dye
The surname Dye originated in England and dates back to the early 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "deag" or "deah," which means "to dye" or "to color." This name was given to people who worked as dyers or colored cloth and fabrics.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dye can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a person named Johannes le Deyere was mentioned. The name also appeared in various other early records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, which listed a Richard le Dyer.
The Dye surname is closely associated with the dyeing industry, which was an important trade in medieval England. Dyers were skilled artisans who used natural dyes and pigments to color textiles, and their services were in high demand. Some notable individuals with the surname Dye from this period include William Dye, a dyer from York who was mentioned in records from 1379, and John Dye, a renowned dyer from London who lived in the late 15th century.
As the dyeing industry grew and spread across England, the Dye surname became more widespread. In the 16th century, records show the name appearing in various parts of the country, including the parish registers of Gloucestershire, where a Thomas Dye was listed in 1572.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Dye surname was Sir John Dye (c. 1495-1577), a wealthy merchant and alderman of London. He was a prominent figure in the city's trade and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1556-1557.
Other notable individuals with the surname Dye throughout history include William Dye (1604-1688), a Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts in the 17th century, and John Dye (1700-1758), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Dye surname continued to be found across England, with concentrations in counties such as Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Gloucestershire, reflecting the historical importance of the dyeing trade in these areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dye
Among Census respondents with the surname Dye, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Dye bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Dye surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.5%
- Black or African American11.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races2.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Dye surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,246 | #1,246 | 0.0% |
| Count | 28,182 | 28,182 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 9.55 | 9.55 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Dye bearers went from 28,182 to 28,182 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #1,246 to #1,246.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Dye
FAQ
Dye surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Dye?
The surname Dye holds position #1,246 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 32,733 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 9.55 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Dye surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dye, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Hispanic (2.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.