2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cagnon
An occupational surname likely referring to a maker of woolen cloth or fabric.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Cagnon. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cagnon surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Cagnon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cagnon, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cagnon
The surname Cagnon is of French origin, originating in the northern regions of France, particularly Normandy and Brittany, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "cagne," which means "female dog" or "bitch." The name may have initially been a nickname or a descriptive name referring to a person's occupation, temperament, or physical characteristics.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cagnon name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property conducted in England in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name is recorded as "Cagnoun," indicating its Norman origins and the presence of individuals bearing this surname in England during the Norman Conquest.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Jacques Cagnon was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Rouen, Normandy. He was known for establishing trade routes and contributing to the economic prosperity of the region.
During the 15th century, a man named Pierre Cagnon served as a soldier in the French army under the command of Joan of Arc. He fought bravely in the Hundred Years' War against the English and was recognized for his valor and loyalty.
In the 16th century, a family of Cagnons settled in the village of Cagny, located in the Somme region of northern France. This village likely derived its name from the Cagnon surname, indicating the family's influence and presence in the area.
In the 17th century, a renowned artist named Nicolas Cagnon (1625-1680) gained recognition for his skillful portraiture and religious paintings. His works can be found in various churches and museums across France.
Another notable figure with the Cagnon surname was Marie-Louise Cagnon (1762-1842), a French writer and poet who published several collections of poems and novels during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Her works often explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience.
Throughout history, the Cagnon surname has been represented across various regions of France, particularly in the northern provinces, where it has maintained a strong presence and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cagnon
Among Census respondents with the surname Cagnon, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Cagnon bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Cagnon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.1% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cagnon
Cagnon appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,197 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,405 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 12,197 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Up 4,405 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cagnon surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #151,639 | 2.8% |
| Count | 104 | 107 | 2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cagnon bearers went from 104 to 107 (+2.9% change). The surname moved up 4,405 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #151,639.
FAQ
Cagnon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cagnon?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Cagnon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Cagnon?
Cagnon ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Cagnon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cagnon.
Has Cagnon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cagnon went from 104 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 3 (+2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Cagnon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cagnon, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cagnon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.1% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cagnon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.1%), Hispanic (0.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cagnon (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cagnon mean?
An occupational surname likely referring to a maker of woolen cloth or fabric. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cagnon (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Cagnon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.