Marguis
A French variant of the English name Marcus, meaning "warlike" or "martial".
Name Census estimates that about 147 living Americans carry the first name Marguis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Marguis today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marguis births was 1987 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marguis. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
147
~ 1 in 2,331,662 Americans
Peak year
1987
18 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
1992 SSA rank
#9,322
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Marguis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marguis from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 106 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marguis by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Marguis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marguis' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Marguis
The name Marguis is believed to have originated from an Old French word "marquis," which means "ruler" or "marquis." The name itself is a variant spelling of the word "marquis," which is derived from the Old French word "marchis," meaning "march" or "borderland."
The name Marguis was initially used to refer to a nobleman who held a rank equivalent to that of an English earl or a German margrave. These individuals were responsible for governing and defending the border provinces or "marches" of a kingdom or empire.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marguis can be found in the 12th century, when it was used to refer to various noblemen in France and other parts of Europe. During this period, the name was closely associated with power, authority, and military prowess.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Marguis. One such person was Marguis de Lafayette (1757-1834), a French aristocrat and military officer who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a major-general in the Continental Army.
Another notable figure was Marguis de Sade (1740-1814), a French nobleman, revolutionary politician, and writer known for his controversial and often shocking literary works, which explored themes of sexual violence and freedom of expression.
In the realm of literature, Marguis de Marivaux (1688-1763) was a French playwright and novelist who is celebrated for his comedic works and his contributions to the development of the French literary style known as "marivaudage."
The name Marguis also appears in religious contexts, with Marguis de Valdés (c. 1500-1541) being a Spanish theologian and religious reformer who advocated for a more personal and spiritual approach to Christianity.
Lastly, Marguis de Pombal (1699-1782) was a Portuguese statesman and reformer who served as the prime minister of Portugal during the reign of King Joseph I. He is renowned for his efforts to modernize and strengthen the Portuguese economy and society.
While the name Marguis has its roots in the French language and nobility, it has transcended its original meaning and has been adopted by people from various cultures and backgrounds throughout history, reflecting its enduring appeal and significance.
People
Marguis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marguis as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Marguis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marguis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 147 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marguis going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,331,662 US residents.
Is Marguis a common name?
We classify Marguis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 154 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marguis most popular?
The single biggest year for Marguis was 1987, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marguis is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Marguis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Marguis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Marguis in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Marguis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Marguis in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Marguis can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Marguis as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.