Explore the Family Name Dalzell
The meaning of Dalzell
Scottish: habitational name from a place in the Clyde valley, recorded in 1200 in the forms Dalyell, Daliel and in 1352 as Daleel, apparently from Gaelic dail ‘field’ + g(h)eal ‘white’. The z in the spelling is not really a z at all; it represents Middle English ʒ, and the pronunciation, regardless of spelling, was normally ‘Dee-ell’ or ‘Die-ell’, sometimes ‘Dal-yell’. Black quotes an ‘old Galloway rhyme’: ‘Deil (devil) and Da’yell begins with yae letter; Deil’s nae gude and Da’yell’s nae better’. Nowadays ‘Dal-zell’ and ‘Dal-zeel’ are also heard, and are standard in North America. The name was introduced in the 17th century to Ireland (counties Louth and Down), where the normal spelling is Dalzell. The more common spelling Scotland is Dalziel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Dalzell in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Dalzell has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Dalzell ranked as the 15,500th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010 it had slipped to 16,968th. The count of people with the surname also fell marginally from 1,734 in 2000 to 1,675 in 2010, reflecting a decrease of 3.4%. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 individuals similarly dropped from 0.64 to 0.57, marking a 10.94% decline.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,500 | #16,968 | -9.47% |
| Count | 1,734 | 1,675 | -3.4% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.64 | 0.57 | -10.94% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dalzell
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Dalzell also experienced some shifts during this period, based on the same Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the vast majority (95.91%) of people with the Dalzell surname identified as White, but this percentage dropped to 92.78% by 2010. The percentage identifying as Hispanic or Black saw notable increases, from 1.44% to 2.69% and 1.04% to 2.51%, respectively. Additionally, there was a slight increase in those identifying with two or more races, going from 0.98% in 2000 to 1.19% in 2010. However, there were no individuals with this surname that identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.91% | 92.78% | -3.26% |
| Hispanic | 1.44% | 2.69% | 86.81% |
| Black | 1.04% | 2.51% | 141.35% |
| Two or More Races | 0.98% | 1.19% | 21.43% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |