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

Bedard, 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 Bedard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bedard in America

Bedard is the 5734th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bedard surname appeared 6,046 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 Bedard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bedard 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 Bedard

The surname Bedard originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is a derivative of the Old French word "bedeau," which means "beadle" or "messenger." The name was likely first given as an occupational surname to someone who worked as a messenger or a church official.

The earliest recorded instances of the Bedard surname can be traced back to the 12th century in the Normandy region of France. Some of the earliest documented spellings include Bedard, Bedart, and Bedeau. The name can also be found in various medieval records and manuscripts from that era.

One notable historical figure with the Bedard surname was Pierre Bedard (1762-1827), a Canadian politician and lawyer who played a significant role in the early days of the parliamentary system in Lower Canada (now Quebec). He was a vocal advocate for responsible government and was imprisoned for his political views in 1810.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Jean-Baptiste Bedard (1765-1829), a French-Canadian painter and engraver who is considered one of the most important artists of his time in Canada. His works are highly regarded and can be found in various museums and collections.

In the 19th century, a man named Isidore Bedard (1804-1889) was a successful businessman and landowner in the town of St-Hyacinthe, Quebec. He was instrumental in the development of the local community and left a lasting legacy in the region.

Moving into the 20th century, Avila Bedard (1906-1976) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for various teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1927 and 1938. He was known for his defensive skills and physicality on the ice.

Lastly, Geneviève Bédard (born 1977) is a contemporary Canadian actress who has appeared in numerous films and television shows. She is particularly known for her roles in the films "The Barbarian Invasions" and "Incendies," for which she received critical acclaim.

While the surname Bedard has its roots in France, it has become well-established in various parts of the world, particularly in Canada, where many descendants of French settlers have carried on the name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bedard

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

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

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

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