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

Coutu, 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 Coutu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coutu in America

Coutu is the 17888th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coutu surname appeared 1,563 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Coutu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coutu 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 Coutu

The surname Coutu originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "cousteur" or "coutier," which referred to a maker or seller of quilts or mattresses. The name can also be traced back to the Latin word "culcitra," meaning cushion or mattress.

The earliest recorded instances of the Coutu surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, primarily in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. One notable example is a record from the year 1292 mentioning a Guillaume Coutu, a mattress maker residing in the town of Rouen.

During the Middle Ages, the Coutu family was well-established in the village of Couture-sur-Loir, located in the modern-day department of Sarthe. This place name, derived from the Latin word "cultura" meaning cultivated land or farm, likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure bearing the Coutu name was Jean Coutu, a merchant and landowner born in 1512 in the town of Angers. He is recorded as having played a significant role in the local economy and politics of the region during that era.

Another notable individual was Marie Coutu, born in 1678 in the village of Champtocé-sur-Loire. She gained recognition as one of the earliest female writers and poets in France, publishing a collection of poems titled "Fleurs de Poésie" in 1712.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several members of the Coutu family immigrated to the French colonies of North America, particularly in the regions of Quebec and Acadia (present-day Maritime provinces of Canada). One of the earliest recorded settlers was Pierre Coutu, who arrived in Quebec City in 1665 from the town of Trun in Normandy.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure was Émile Coutu, a French-Canadian lawyer and politician born in 1838 in the town of Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec. He served as a member of the Canadian Parliament and played a crucial role in the development of Quebec's legal system.

Throughout history, the Coutu surname has been associated with a variety of occupations and professions, ranging from skilled artisans and merchants to writers, politicians, and legal professionals. While the name originated in France, it has since spread to other regions of the world, particularly through immigration and the establishment of new communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coutu

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

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

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

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