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

Bessette, 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 Bessette surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bessette in America

Bessette is the 7457th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bessette surname appeared 4,469 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 Bessette.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bessette 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 Bessette

The surname Bessette has its origins in France, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "besser," which means "to embrace" or "to kiss." Originally, the name was likely a descriptive nickname or an occupational name for someone who worked as an embracer or greeter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bessette can be found in the Livre des Métiers, a medieval French manuscript from the 13th century, which lists various occupations and trades. It appears as "Bessete," referring to an embracer or greeter in a religious or ceremonial context.

In the 14th century, the name Bessette appeared in the Parisian tax rolls, indicating that families with this surname were living in the city at that time. The spelling variations included "Bessete," "Besset," and "Bessette."

A notable figure in the history of the Bessette surname was Jacques Bessette, born in 1525 in Burgundy, France. He was a successful merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to use the Bessette name in the region.

Another prominent individual with the Bessette surname was Marie-Rose Bessette, born in 1846 in Quebec, Canada. She was a Canadian religious sister and was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 2010, becoming known as Saint Marie-Rose Durocher.

In the 17th century, the Bessette surname was found in the records of the French settlers who arrived in New France (present-day Quebec and other parts of Canada). François Bessette, born in 1652 in Quebec, was one of the earliest recorded bearers of the name in the New World.

During the 18th century, the Bessette family continued to establish itself in various regions of Quebec, with some members migrating to other parts of Canada and the United States. Notable individuals from this period include André Bessette, born in 1845 in Quebec, who was a Catholic brother and was canonized as a saint in 2010, becoming known as Saint André Bessette.

In the 19th century, the Bessette surname was well-established in both Canada and the United States, with families residing in various regions. Jean-Baptiste Bessette, born in 1811 in Quebec, was a prominent farmer and landowner in the region.

Throughout its history, the Bessette surname has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, farmers, religious figures, and others, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bessette

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

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

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

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