Explore the Family Name Darius
The meaning of Darius
German, Romanian, French, and West Indian (mainly Haiti): from the Late Latin personal name Darius, Greek Dareios, which was borne by various kings of ancient Persia, including Darius I (522–486 BC). The ancient Persian form of the name was Darayavahush, meaning ‘possessor’, from daraya(miy) ‘possess, maintain’ + vahu ‘good, well’. This became accepted as a Christian name in medieval Europe in honor of a saint martyred at Nicaea at an uncertain date. Some characteristic forenames: French Gratien, Philomene, Solange.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Darius in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Darius has seen an increase in popularity over the years. In 2000, Darius ranked 36,917th in popularity, while by 2010, it had jumped to rank 28,679th, showing a positive change of 22.31%. In terms of actual count, there were 570 individuals with the surname Darius in 2000, which surged to 831 by 2010, signifying a substantial increase of 45.79%. The proportion of people named Darius per 100,000 also spiked from 0.21 to 0.28 between 2000 and 2010, marking a 33.33% rise.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,917 | #28,679 | 22.31% |
| Count | 570 | 831 | 45.79% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.21 | 0.28 | 33.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Darius
The ethnicity distribution for the surname Darius also shows fascinating changes over the same period. According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the largest ethnic group associated with the Darius surname is Black, growing from 64.91% in 2000 to 73.65% in 2010. This represents a 13.46% increase. The White population with the surname decreased from 25.26% to 20.10%, a drop of 20.43%. The proportion of individuals identifying with two or more races fell sharply from 7.19% to 1.93%, a considerable decline of 73.16%. Hispanic representation saw a modest growth of 16.23%, moving from 2.28% in 2000 to 2.65% in 2010. No data was reported for Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 64.91% | 73.65% | 13.46% |
| White | 25.26% | 20.1% | -20.43% |
| Hispanic | 2.28% | 2.65% | 16.23% |
| Two or More Races | 7.19% | 1.93% | -73.16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |