Explore the Family Name Dal

The meaning of Dal

1. Indian (Gujarat): Jat name probably from the name of the Dahalamandal region between rivers Ganga and Narmada in present Madhya Pradesh. 2. Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from dal ‘branch’, also e.g. ‘arm’ and ‘back’. 3. Scandinavian: variant of Dahl. 4. Dutch: variant, without the preposition van ‘from’, of Van Dal (see Vandal). Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Aase.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Dal in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Dal' has seen a significant rate of increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 124,872 in popularity, but by 2010 it had jumped to 91,221 — an increase of roughly 27%. The number of individuals with this surname also grew substantially during this period, from 127 to 202 people, marking a surge of over 59%. This means that for every 100,000 people in the United States, the proportion with 'Dal' as their last name rose by 40%, from 0.05 to 0.07.

20002010Change
Rank#124,872#91,22126.95%
Count12720259.06%
Proportion per 100k0.050.0740%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dal

The ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the ethnic identity associated with 'Dal' shifted quite a bit from 2000 to 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander held the largest percentage of this surname, increasing from 44.09% to 51.49%. There was also a notable upsurge in those who identify as Black, from 6.30% to 9.90%. However, there was a decrease in the proportion of individuals identifying as White, dropping from 43.31% to 32.18%. Furthermore, the number of individuals of Hispanic ethnicity with this last name appeared in 2010 at 4.46%, while previously there were none reported in this category. People identifying as belonging to two or more races was reported in 2000 at 3.94%, but no such data was reported in 2010. No individuals identified themselves as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander44.09%51.49%16.78%
White43.31%32.18%-25.7%
Black6.3%9.9%57.14%
Hispanic0%4.46%0%
Two or More Races3.94%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%