Explore the Family Name Debois
The meaning of Debois
1. French: topographic name, with fused preposition de ‘from’, for someone living or working in a wood (see Bois). 2. Altered form of French Dubois, a cognate of 1 above.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Debois in the United States?
The surname Debois ranked 45,078 in popularity according to the 2000 Decennial U.S. Census data, and dropped slightly to 48,256 in 2010. This change marked a 7.05% decrease over the decade. The number of individuals with the Debois surname also saw a slight decline from 448 in 2000 to 438 in 2010, indicating a drop of 2.23%. As a proportion per 100,000 people, the Debois surname decreased in frequency from 0.17 to 0.15, a decline of 11.76% based on the same census data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #45,078 | #48,256 | -7.05% |
| Count | 448 | 438 | -2.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.17 | 0.15 | -11.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Debois
In terms of ethnic identity, the Debois surname showed a relatively stable distribution between 2000 and 2010 according to the U.S. Census. There was no representation for Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native categories either year. The percentage of individuals identifying as White increased slightly from 81.03% to 81.74%, while those identifying as Black declined marginally from 14.51% to 14.16%. The representation of two or more races fell from 2.90% to 2.51%. The smallest group, Hispanic, also experienced a decrease from 1.34% to 1.14% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.03% | 81.74% | 0.88% |
| Black | 14.51% | 14.16% | -2.41% |
| Two or More Races | 2.9% | 2.51% | -13.45% |
| Hispanic | 1.34% | 1.14% | -14.93% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |