The Day surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 105,091 people carried this name — #294 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,810 people counted. That is up 3% from 101,676 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Day surname
This surname has multiple origins. Besides the ones listed below, Norman origin has also been suggested from De Haie", or "a corruption of the Normandy French D'Ossone, from the town of Ossone, in Normandy".
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Day» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 13 births for the Day name in 1890.
Most were registered in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 463 people named Day.
47 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 50 départements, most often Ardennes.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 426 people named Day live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
97 people named Day live in Switzerland.
They live in 9 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 48 people named Day live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Flemish Brabant.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In Poland’s population register
39 people named Day have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 118 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 7 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Masovian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
155 people named Day are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Day in American newspapers,
1907–1929.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 19,856,414 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Day,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Thomas Day 1748–1789 · writer -
Edward Denny Day 1801–1876 · police officer -
Benjamin Day 1810–1889 · media proprietor -
Timothy C. Day 1819–1869 · politician -
David Day 1825–1896 · politician
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 153 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Day.
- Davis 1,116,357 · U.S. census
- Davit 126 · U.S. census
- Davoli 458 · U.S. census
- Davy 3,316 · U.S. census
- Dawson 83,182 · U.S. census
- Dax 400 · U.S. census
- Dayan 828 · U.S. census
- Dayes 144 · U.S. census
- Daynes 167 · U.S. census
- Dayon 253 · U.S. census
- Dazet 115 · U.S. census
- Deal 20,366 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Day is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.