Explore the Family Name Desjarlais
The meaning of Desjarlais
French Canadian: altered form of Walloon De Gerlaise, itself a variant, with the preposition de ‘from, of’, of Gerlache (see Herlache). In the US, the surname Desjarlais is also common among Native Americans (Chippewas). The surname (De) Gerlaise is no longer found in Belgium. History: The progenitor of the Desjarlaises was Jean-Jacques de Gerlaise dit St. Amand, a soldier from Liège in Wallonia, Belgium, who in 1667 married Jeanne Trudel in QC. Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Gilles, Marcel, Armand, Eugenie, Germaine, Herve, Mireille, Normand.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Desjarlais in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Desjarlais has seen a rise in popularity over the years. In 2000, it ranked 22,983 but by 2010, it had risen to 21,868, marking an increase of 4.85%. The count of people with this surname also saw an increase from 1,039 in 2000 to 1,188 in 2010, representing a 14.34% increase. For every 100,000 people, there were 0.39 people with the surname Desjarlais in 2000 and this number increased to 0.4 in 2010, indicating a 2.56% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,983 | #21,868 | 4.85% |
| Count | 1,039 | 1,188 | 14.34% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.39 | 0.4 | 2.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Desjarlais
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Desjarlais also experienced some changes between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. Those identifying as White decreased from 74.49% in 2000 to 72.31% in 2010. On the other hand, individuals identifying as Hispanic saw an increase from 1.35% in 2000 to 1.94% in 2010. The proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained fairly stable with a slight increase from 20.5% in 2000 to 20.88% in 2010. There were new entries for Asian/Pacific Islander and Black ethnicities in 2010 that weren't available in 2000, standing at 0.76% and 0.42% respectively. Those identifying with two or more races also increased from 3.18% in 2000 to 3.7% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.49% | 72.31% | -2.93% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 20.5% | 20.88% | 1.85% |
| Two or More Races | 3.18% | 3.7% | 16.35% |
| Hispanic | 1.35% | 1.94% | 43.7% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.76% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0.42% | 0% |