The 2010 U.S. Census recorded 11,253 black Americans with Dukes as their last name. That represented 51% of the total of 22,187 entries.
This article tracks their numbers in the census since the Civil War. We also look at historic African American people named Dukes.
We end with a review of early records of black military service in the United States.
After The Civil War
The 1870 census was the first survey after the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1850 and 1860, only free African Americans were recorded in the census. The many enslaved were omitted.
From 1870 onward, all black Americans were included.
491 people named Dukes were recorded in the 1870 census as black and 18 as mixed.
There was a total of 2,375 people with the name.
Dukes In The 1900 And 1940 Census
The mixed category was dropped from the census in 1900, so we just need to look at the black numbers this time.
The 1900 census recorded 1,640 people with the last name Dukes as black within a total of 5,177 that year.
By the way, the mixed category returned in the 1910 and 1920 censuses. It was dropped again in 1930, but replaced with extra categories for colored and non-white in a way that seems confusing now.
This changed again in 1940 and we can simply focus on one black category.
The 1940 census recorded 3,658 people named Dukes as black within a total of 9,702.
Dukes In Black Military Records
Military records are a rich resource of information for family history research. Here are examples of the Dukes surname from military service.
Buffalo Soldiers
Five regiments for black soldiers were formed during the Civil War. They were known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
Their records are part of the national archive of military monthly returns. The information includes the year and place of birth, where they enlisted, their occupation, and their height.
One of the earliest military entries for Dukes was in August 1878. Thomas Dukes was a Private in the U.S. Ninth Cavalry. He was stationed in August 1878 at Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Another entry was in February 1899. Samuel Dukes was a Private in the U.S. Ninth Cavalry.
If you are researching military ancestors, there is a free index of these records on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
You have to create an account on either website, but you do not need to pay for the Buffalo Soldiers archive.