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

Dylan, 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 Dylan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dylan in America

Dylan is the 73911th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dylan surname appeared 262 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Dylan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dylan 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 Dylan

The surname Dylan has its origins in Wales, dating back to around the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Welsh word "dylyn," which means "waves" or "surf." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near the coast or had an occupation related to the sea.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Dylan surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where a person named Ythel Dylun is mentioned. This is likely an early spelling variation of the name.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Cartae Antiquae Rolls, which were records of land grants and property transactions. A certain Madoc ap Dylan is listed as holding lands in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales.

The Dylan surname is also closely associated with the ancient Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth, which covered parts of southwestern Wales. It is possible that the name originated among the noble families or gentry of this region.

One notable historical figure with the Dylan surname was Hywel Dylan, a Welsh clergyman who lived in the late 15th century. He served as the Archdeacon of St. Davids and was involved in the translation of religious texts into Welsh.

Another individual of note was Rhys Dylan, a Welsh poet and bard who lived in the 16th century. He is known for his works in the cywydd meter, a traditional form of Welsh poetry.

In the 17th century, there was a prominent Welsh family called the Dylans of Muddlescombe, who owned lands and estates in Carmarthenshire. One member of this family, John Dylan (1608-1678), was a renowned scholar and writer of his time.

The Dylan surname has also been associated with several place names in Wales, such as Dylans Bridge and Dylans Haven, both located in Pembrokeshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Dylan surname who lived or owned property in these areas.

Other notable individuals with the Dylan surname include Sir Hugh Dylan (1818-1892), a Welsh industrialist and coal magnate, and Dafydd Dylan (1892-1964), a Welsh poet and writer known for his works in the free verse style.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dylan

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

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

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

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