Explore the Family Name Dashiell
The meaning of Dashiell
Altered form of a French surname, reportedly de Chiel, which is of unexplained etymology and virtually non-existing in France. The name Dashiell was brought to North America via Scotland. It is most common in MD. Compare Dashield, Deshiell, and Deshields. History: This surname is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors and also in the similar register of the Huguenot Society of America. It was brought to North America in 1653 by James Dashiell from Scotland, reportedly a grandson of Jacques de Chiel, a Huguenot refugee from France. James Dashiell first settled in Northumberland County, VA, but later moved to Somerset County, MD. Among his descendants was also (Samuel) Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961), American author of detective novels and short stories, whose mother was Anne Bond Dashiell.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Dashiell in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Dashiell has slightly decreased in rank between 2000 and 2010, moving from 17,054th to 17,605th, a change of -3.23 percent. However, despite this drop in rank, the count of people with the Dashiell surname actually increased by 3.91 percent during the same time period, from 1,536 to 1,596. The proportion per 100k individuals also saw a small decrease of -5.26 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,054 | #17,605 | -3.23% |
| Count | 1,536 | 1,596 | 3.91% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.57 | 0.54 | -5.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dashiell
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows a dynamic shift for those bearing the surname Dashiell. The most notable increase was seen within those identifying as having two or more races, which skyrocketed by 204.50 percent from 1.11 to 3.38. There were also significant increases among individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and American Indian and Alaskan Native, with changes of 55.77, 76.69, and 109.09 percent respectively. Meanwhile, there were slight decreases in the populations identifying as white and black, with changes of -4.25 and -4.52 percent respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 63.22% | 60.53% | -4.25% |
| Black | 33.2% | 31.7% | -4.52% |
| Two or More Races | 1.11% | 3.38% | 204.5% |
| Hispanic | 1.63% | 2.88% | 76.69% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 0.81% | 55.77% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.33% | 0.69% | 109.09% |