Explore the Family Name Dechant
The meaning of Dechant
1. German: occupational name for the master of a guild or the supervisor of an ecclesiastical or secular administrative unit, from Middle High German techant, dechent ‘one in charge of ten men’ (from Latin decanus). 2. Altered form of French Deschamps. The surname Dechant is also found in France, where it is rare and may (also) be of German origin (see 1 above).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Dechant in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Dechant saw a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 16,480th most common name in the United States, while in 2010 it dropped slightly to 16,781st most common. Despite this, the actual count of individuals with the Dechant last name increased by almost 6%, from 1,606 in 2000 to 1,702 in 2010. However, its proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 3.33%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,480 | #16,781 | -1.83% |
| Count | 1,606 | 1,702 | 5.98% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.6 | 0.58 | -3.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Dechant
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the Dechant surname. The majority of individuals with the Dechant surname identify as White, with an overwhelming 96.76% in 2000 and a slightly lower 95.42% in 2010. A small percentage identify as Asian/Pacific Islander or Hispanic, with both groups seeing changes in their representation between 2000 and 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander representation decreased by 19.75% while the Hispanic representation saw an increase of 64.41%. A smaller segment identifies with two or more races, which saw a substantial increase of nearly 69% over the decade. There were no individuals who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.76% | 95.42% | -1.38% |
| Hispanic | 1.18% | 1.94% | 64.41% |
| Two or More Races | 0.87% | 1.47% | 68.97% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.81% | 0.65% | -19.75% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |