De (surname)

De or Dey is a surname commonly used by the Bengali community. De/Dey is derived from the last name Deb/Dev or Deva. The surname has been mostly associated with Kayasthas.

In 12th–13th century, a Hindu dynasty Deva ruled over eastern Bengal after the Sena dynasty. The capital of this dynasty was Bikrampur in present-day Munshiganj district of Bangladesh. This Hindu Vaishnava dynasty is different from an earlier Buddhist Deva dynasty (c. 8th–9th century) of Samatata, whose capital was Devaparvata. Four rulers of this dynasty are known from the inscriptions: Shantideva, Viradeva, Anandadeva and Bhavadeva.