Belleville
A locational surname derived from a place in France meaning "beautiful town".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,165 Americans carry the last name Belleville. That puts it at #24,702 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.34 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 294,210 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Belleville surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.2K
1 in 294,210
Census rank
#24,702
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,010 bearers of the surname Belleville in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.34 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 24702nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Belleville, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Belleville
The surname Belleville originates from France and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the city of Belleville, located in the northern suburbs of Paris. The name is believed to have come from the Latin words "bella" meaning beautiful and "villa" meaning town or village, suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who lived in or came from a beautiful town.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cartulaire de Notre-Dame de Paris, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the 12th century. In this record, a certain Petrus de Belleville is mentioned as a witness to a legal transaction in the year 1180.
During the 13th century, the name appears in various historical documents related to the region around Paris. For instance, a knight named Raoul de Belleville is mentioned in the Livre des Vassaux, a register of feudal lords and their vassals, compiled in the late 13th century.
In the 14th century, the name Belleville gained prominence with the birth of Jean de Belleville (1330-1405), a French prelate who served as the Bishop of Coutances and later as the Archbishop of Sens. He played a significant role in the resolution of the Western Schism, a period of dispute over the legitimacy of the papacy.
Another notable figure with the surname Belleville was Jacques de Belleville (1558-1629), a French jurist and diplomat who served as the French ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire. He was involved in negotiating the Peace of Vervins treaty in 1598, which ended the Franco-Spanish War.
In the 18th century, the name Belleville was associated with the French philosopher and writer, Étienne de Belleville (1723-1804). He was a prominent figure in the Age of Enlightenment and is best known for his work "Essai sur l'Entendement Humain" (Essay on Human Understanding), which explored the nature of human knowledge and perception.
Throughout the centuries, the surname Belleville has been found in various spellings and variations, such as Belville, Belvile, and Bellevilla, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects. Additionally, the name has been associated with several place names in France, including Belleville-sur-Meuse, Belleville-sur-Vie, and Belleville-en-Beaujolais, further reinforcing its locational origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Belleville
Among Census respondents with the surname Belleville, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Belleville bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Belleville surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.5%
- Hispanic or Latino4.5%
- Two or more races0.8%
- Black or African American0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Belleville surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #24,702 | #24,702 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,010 | 1,010 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.34 | 0.34 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Belleville bearers went from 1,010 to 1,010 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #24,702 to #24,702.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Belleville
FAQ
Belleville surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Belleville?
The surname Belleville holds position #24,702 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,165 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.34 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Belleville surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Belleville, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (0.8%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.