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

Ballez, 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 Ballez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ballez in America

Ballez is the 105600th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ballez surname appeared 169 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ballez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ballez 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 Ballez

The surname BALLEZ originated in the Normandy region of northern France during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "baller," meaning "to dance." The earliest known reference to the name dates back to the 11th century, when it appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the BALLEZ surname was Renaud Ballez, a Norman knight who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) alongside King Richard the Lionheart. Renaud's name is mentioned in several chronicles from that era, including the "Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi" by Richard of Devizes.

In the 13th century, a branch of the BALLEZ family settled in the village of Balléville, located in the Eure department of Normandy. This place name, which likely influenced the spelling of the surname, is derived from the Old French words "bal" (dance) and "ville" (town or village).

During the 14th century, a notable figure named Jean Ballez (1310-1378) served as a court jester to King Charles V of France. Records from the Royal Household accounts detail Jean's role in entertaining the king and his court through dance and other performances.

In the 15th century, the BALLEZ surname spread to other regions of France, including Brittany and Île-de-France. One prominent individual from this period was Philippe Ballez (1425-1490), a master stonemason who worked on the construction of several churches and abbeys in Paris and its surrounding areas.

As the centuries passed, the BALLEZ surname continued to appear in various historical records across France and other parts of Europe. Some notable bearers of the name include:

1. Antoine Ballez (1565-1631), a French Renaissance poet and playwright from Rouen.
2. Marie-Louise Ballez (1682-1743), a French artist and miniature portraitist active in the court of King Louis XV.
3. Jacques Ballez (1705-1778), a French botanist and horticulturist who introduced several new plant species to Europe from his travels abroad.
4. Pierre-Joseph Ballez (1781-1847), a French military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte and fought in several major campaigns during the Napoleonic Wars.
5. Émile Ballez (1822-1892), a French sculptor known for his intricate marble and bronze works, many of which adorned public buildings and monuments in Paris.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ballez

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

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 Ballez 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 Ballez 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 Ballez was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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