Markquis
A masculine name derived from the French word "marquis", meaning a nobleman.
Name Census estimates that about 35 living Americans carry the first name Markquis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Markquis today is around 34 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Markquis births was 1990 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Markquis. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Markquis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
35
~ 1 in 9,792,981 Americans
Peak year
1990
9 babies that year
Average age
34
years old
1996 SSA rank
#9,977
Tracked since 1986
Popularity
Markquis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Markquis from the 1980s through to the 1990s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 31 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Markquis 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 Markquis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Markquis
The given name Markquis is a unique and relatively uncommon name, with a distinct and intriguing history. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Germanic language, where it is believed to have derived from a combination of the words "mark" and "quis," which loosely translates to "border guard" or "keeper of the frontier." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals who played a vital role in protecting and securing the boundaries of their respective communities or territories.
In the early Middle Ages, during the period of the Frankish Empire, the name Markquis gained prominence as a title bestowed upon noblemen who governed and administered territories along the borders of the realm. These individuals, known as Margraves or Marquesses, held significant power and authority, acting as both military commanders and civil administrators. Their role was crucial in defending the realm from external threats and maintaining order within their domains.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Markquis can be found in the historical annals of the Carolingian dynasty, where it appears in reference to a prominent Margrave who served under Charlemagne in the 8th century. However, the name's usage as a personal name did not become widespread until several centuries later, during the High Middle Ages.
Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, the name Markquis was borne by several notable figures, including Markquis de Montferrat, a French nobleman and military leader who played a pivotal role in the Third Crusade in the late 12th century. Another prominent figure was Markquis de Sade, the infamous French author and philosopher, known for his controversial writings and libertine lifestyle (1740-1814).
In the realm of literature, the name Markquis appears in various works, including William Shakespeare's play "All's Well That Ends Well," where one of the characters is named Bertram, Count of Rossillion and Marquis of Marseilles. This literary reference further solidifies the name's association with nobility and high social standing.
Other notable individuals who bore the name Markquis include Markquis de Lafayette, the French aristocrat and military officer who played a crucial role in the American Revolutionary War (1757-1834), and Markquis de Pombal, the influential Portuguese statesman and reformer who served as the prime minister during the reign of King Joseph I (1699-1782).
While the name Markquis has its roots in the ancient Germanic language and gained prominence during the Middle Ages, it has remained relatively uncommon throughout history. Its unique spelling and pronunciation have contributed to its distinctiveness, setting it apart from more conventional given names.
People
Markquis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Markquis 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
Markquis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Markquis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 35 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Markquis 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 9,792,981 US residents.
Is Markquis a common name?
We classify Markquis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 48.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 36 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Markquis most popular?
The single biggest year for Markquis was 1990, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Markquis is about 34 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 Markquis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Markquis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Markquis 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 Markquis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Markquis 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 Markquis 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 are called Markquis?
See how many people share the name Markquis on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.