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

Dyson, 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 Dyson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dyson in America

Dyson is the 2984th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dyson surname appeared 12,017 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Dyson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dyson 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 Dyson

The surname Dyson originated in England and is believed to have derived from the Old English words "deor" meaning "deer" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "farm." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked at a deer enclosure or farm.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Dersun." This variant spelling provides further evidence of the name's Old English roots.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name began to take on its more modern form, with records showing spellings such as "Dyreson" and "Dyrson." These variations likely emerged as the English language evolved and spelling conventions became more standardized.

One notable early bearer of the Dyson surname was William Dyson, who was born in Yorkshire, England, around 1280. He is mentioned in historical records as a landowner and prominent figure in his local community.

In the 16th century, the Dyson family established themselves in the county of Lancashire, England. John Dyson, born in 1524, was a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Bolton. His descendants continued to play a significant role in the local economy and governance over the following centuries.

Another prominent figure with the Dyson surname was Sir Jeremiah Dyson, born in 1662. He was a Member of Parliament and served as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas. Sir Jeremiah was known for his contributions to English jurisprudence and his efforts to reform the legal system.

During the Industrial Revolution, the Dyson name became associated with various manufacturing and engineering endeavors. Thomas Dyson, born in 1802 in Manchester, was a pioneering textile manufacturer who helped revolutionize the cotton industry through his innovative machinery designs.

In more recent times, James Dyson, born in 1947, is perhaps the most well-known bearer of the Dyson surname. He is a highly successful industrial designer and inventor, best known for his innovative vacuum cleaner designs and his company, Dyson Ltd.

Other notable individuals with the Dyson surname include the English artist and printmaker Will Dyson (1880-1938), the American writer and critic Michael Eric Dyson (born 1958), and the English cricketer Gerald Dyson (1909-1997).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dyson

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!