Find out how popular the last name Au is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Au.

Au, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Au surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Au in America

Au is the 4919th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Au surname appeared 7,148 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Au.

We can also compare 2010 data for Au to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Au

The surname "Au" originates from the French region of Normandy in the early 11th century. It is derived from the Old French word "au", meaning "to the" or "at the", which was often used as a prefix in place names. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a specific landmark or location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Au" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror to record landholders and properties throughout England. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have been among the Norman settlers who arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name "Au" appeared in various spellings, including "Atte Au", "Atte Awe", and "De Awe", reflecting the linguistic changes and variations common in that era. These variations often indicated the person's place of origin or residence.

Notable individuals with the surname "Au" throughout history include:

1. Jean d'Au (c. 1350-1420), a French nobleman and military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War.
2. Robert Au (1495-1568), an English merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
3. Marie-Thérèse Au (1680-1755), a French poet and author renowned for her works on religious themes.
4. Louis-André Au (1731-1802), a French architect and urban planner who contributed to the redesign of several cities in France and Belgium.
5. Elizabeth Au (1819-1891), an American social reformer and abolitionist who worked alongside notable figures like Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison.

As the surname "Au" spread across Europe and beyond, it likely acquired additional meanings and associations based on local customs and interpretations. However, its roots can be traced back to the Norman settlers who brought this name to England in the 11th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Au

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Au.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Au was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Au has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Au was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Au, please contact us.

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