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

Broyard, 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 Broyard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Broyard in America

Broyard is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Broyard surname appeared 134 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 Broyard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Broyard 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 Broyard

The surname Broyard is of French origin, tracing its roots back to the 17th century in the region of Normandy, France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "broy," meaning a small wood or thicket, and the suffix "-ard," which denotes a person associated with a particular place or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Broyard name can be found in the parish records of Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, a commune in the Calvados department of Normandy, where a certain Guillaume Broyard was listed as a resident in 1638.

During the 18th century, the Broyard family seemed to have spread across various parts of northern France, with records indicating their presence in regions such as Picardy and Île-de-France. Notable individuals from this period include Jean-Baptiste Broyard (1701-1778), a renowned clockmaker from Paris, and Marie-Thérèse Broyard (1725-1798), a philanthropist and benefactor of the city of Rouen.

As the 19th century dawned, the Broyard name gained prominence in literary circles with the birth of Anatole Broyard (1837-1892), a celebrated French poet and novelist. His works, such as "Les Fleurs du Mal" and "Le Spleen de Paris," explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition, leaving an indelible mark on the French literary landscape.

Another noteworthy figure was Émile Broyard (1856-1933), a renowned French architect who played a significant role in the design and construction of several iconic buildings in Paris, including the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais.

In more recent history, the name Broyard gained global recognition through the works of Anatole Broyard (1920-1990), an American literary critic and essayist known for his insightful and thought-provoking writings on race, identity, and the human experience. His memoir, "Intoxicated by My Illness," published posthumously in 1992, offered a profound exploration of his battle with prostate cancer and the complexities of his mixed-race heritage.

While the surname Broyard may have originated in the small villages of Normandy, it has since traveled far and wide, leaving an indelible mark across various fields, from literature and architecture to the arts and beyond. Its rich history and diverse bearers serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of this French name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Broyard

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

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

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

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