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

DuBois, 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 DuBois surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of DuBois in America

DuBois is the 1539th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The DuBois surname appeared 23,366 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname DuBois.

We can also compare 2010 data for DuBois 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 DuBois

The surname DUBOIS originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is a French locational name derived from the Old French words "du" meaning "of" and "bois" meaning "woods" or "forest". It was likely initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near or in a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was Jean Dubois, who lived in Paris in the late 13th century. Another early record is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Robert du Bois in Oxfordshire, England.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various spellings such as du Bois, duBoys, and de Bois, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The name was also associated with several place names in France, including Dubois, a commune in the Marne department, and Les Bois, a commune in the Charente department.

In the 15th century, the name gained prominence with the French philosopher and theologian Pierre Dubois (c. 1250-1321), who was a counselor to King Philip IV of France. Another notable bearer was the 16th-century French painter Ambroise Dubois (c. 1542-1614), known for his portraits and religious paintings.

Other historical figures with the surname DUBOIS include:

1. Jacques Dubois (1478-1555), a French theologian and scholar.
2. Guillaume Dubois (1656-1723), a French cardinal and statesman who served as Prime Minister under the regent Philippe II, Duke of Orléans.
3. Sylvain Dubois (1777-1856), a French painter and engraver.
4. Jacques-Marie Dubois (1795-1855), a French politician and diplomat.
5. Paul Dubois (1829-1905), a French sculptor known for his public monuments and statues.

The DUBOIS surname spread across Europe and beyond, carried by French emigrants and settlers. It remains a prominent surname in France, Belgium, and other French-speaking regions, as well as in countries with significant French populations, such as Canada and the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name DuBois

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

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

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

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