2000
#74,398
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 242
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Courchene
A surname derived from a French place name or location.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 292 Americans carry the last name Courchene. That puts it at #80,289 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,173,816 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Courchene 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
292
1 in 1,173,816
Census rank
#80,289
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
255
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 255 bearers of the surname Courchene in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 80289th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Courchene, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Courchene
The surname Courchene originates from France, specifically the northwestern region of Normandy. It is believed to have emerged during the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the old French word "Courchemin," which translates to "short path" or "shortcut." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a shortcut or a small path.
One of the earliest known references to the name Courchene can be found in the Domesday Book, a historical record compiled in 1086 for William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book lists several individuals with the surname Courchemin, which is an earlier spelling variation of Courchene.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Geoffroy Courchene was documented as a landowner in the village of Saint-Aubin-d'Arquenay, located in the Normandy region. His descendants continued to use the surname Courchene for generations.
During the 16th century, the name Courchene appeared in various records from the Brittany region of northwestern France. One such individual was Jean Courchene, born in 1532, who was a merchant and trader in the city of Rennes.
In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Louis Courchene (1712-1789) gained recognition as a talented architect and engineer. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Paris and surrounding areas.
Another significant figure in history was Marie-Antoinette Courchene (1768-1848), a renowned French writer and poet. Her literary works often celebrated the beauty of nature and explored themes of love and loss.
As the Courchene family dispersed across France and eventually migrated to other parts of Europe and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Courcherene, Courschene, and Courchain.
It is worth noting that the surname Courchene is relatively uncommon outside of France and regions with strong French influences. However, it has been carried by several notable individuals throughout history, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and contributions of those bearing this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Courchene
Among Census respondents with the surname Courchene, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Courchene 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 Courchene surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.7% · 211
- Two or more races7.1% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native5.5% · 14
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6% · 4
- Black or African American0.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Courchene
Courchene 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
#80,419
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 236
-6 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 6,021 places
2020
#80,289
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 255
+19 bearers (+8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 130 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #74,398 | 242 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #80,419 | 236 | 0.08 | -6 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 6,021 places |
| 2020 | #80,289 | 255 | 0.09 | +19 bearers (+8.1%) | Up 130 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 Courchene 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 | #80,419 | #80,289 | 0.2% |
| Count | 236 | 255 | 8.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.09 | 6.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Courchene bearers went from 236 to 255 (+8.1% change). The surname moved up 130 positions in the national ranking, going from #80,419 to #80,289.
FAQ
Courchene surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Courchene?
Name Census estimates that about 292 living Americans carry the surname Courchene. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,173,816 residents.
How common is Courchene?
Courchene ranks #80,289 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 255 people with the surname Courchene. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (292), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Courchene.
Has Courchene become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Courchene went from 236 recorded bearers to 255. That is an increase of 19 (+8.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #80,419 to #80,289.
What does the Census say about the background of Courchene?
Among Census respondents with the surname Courchene, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (5.5%). 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 Courchene in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.7% (211 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Courchene appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.7%), Two or More Races (7.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (5.5%). 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 Courchene (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 Courchene mean?
A surname derived from a French place name or location. 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 Courchene (0.09 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 have the surname Courchene?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.