DeMers
A surname most likely tied to the French phrase for “of the sea,” though its exact family origin can vary by line.
The #3,839 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 33,468 Americans shares it.
Etymology
DeMers is often treated as a French-looking surname built from the preposition de, meaning “of” or “from,” plus mers, the plural of mer, “sea.” Taken literally, that can suggest “of the seas” or “from the sea,” though as a family name it may also reflect later spelling changes, regional usage, or a shortened/altered form of another French name. Because the excerpt provided is only an incidental mention and not a true surname entry, the derivation should be treated cautiously.
History
The surname is found in North American records, especially in French-heritage contexts, and is likely connected with French-speaking migration or later Anglicized spelling practices. In some cases it may be related to forms written with a space or apostrophe-like division in older records, such as de Mers or similar variants. Without a direct historical entry for this exact surname, its early development remains uncertain.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because French surnames often shifted in spelling after migration, DeMers and Demers can appear as a single word in modern records even if older forms were written in separate parts.
From the historical record
“Kinges of earth, and alle folk living, Princes and all demers of land. An antique poem, too, has it in its other form in the following couplet : — Ayoth was then demester”
— English Surnames: their sources and significations