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

Cenat, 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 Cenat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cenat in America

Cenat is the 118853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cenat surname appeared 146 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 Cenat.

The history of the last name Cenat

The surname CENAT is believed to have originated in France during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "cene," which means "a small wood or thicket." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to refer to someone who lived near or worked in a small forested area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the 14th-century document "Le Livre des Bourgeois de Valenciennes," which mentions a certain Jean Cenat who resided in the city of Valenciennes, located in the northern region of France. This indicates that the name was already in use by that time.

Another early reference to the CENAT surname appears in the "Registre des fiefs de la Châtellenie de Lille" from the 15th century. This register of feudal lands and their holders lists a Pierre Cenat as a landowner in the region around the city of Lille.

During the 16th century, the name began to spread throughout various regions of France. Notable examples from this period include Jacques Cenat (c. 1530-1595), a merchant and alderman in the city of Rouen, and Marguerite Cenat (c. 1560-1620), a renowned midwife who practiced in the town of Beauvais.

In the 17th century, the CENAT surname gained prominence with the birth of Jean-Baptiste Cenat (1620-1687), a renowned French playwright and poet who was a member of the Académie Française. His works, such as "La Tragédie des Amours de Semire" (1662), were highly regarded during his lifetime.

As the centuries passed, the CENAT surname continued to be carried by individuals across various professions and social strata. One notable example is Charles-Étienne Cenat (1773-1854), a French military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte and participated in several major campaigns, including the Napoleonic Wars.

Over time, the name also found its way into other parts of the world, often through migration and settlement. In the 19th century, for instance, a branch of the CENAT family established itself in the Caribbean island of Haiti, where they became prominent landowners and businessmen.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cenat

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

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 Cenat 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.

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

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

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