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

Gautreau, 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 Gautreau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gautreau in America

Gautreau is the 17613th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gautreau surname appeared 1,595 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 Gautreau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gautreau 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 Gautreau

The surname GAUTREAU has its origins in France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "galtier," which means "warden of the forest" or "gamekeeper." This name was likely given to individuals who held these occupations in the forests of medieval France.

The earliest recorded instances of the GAUTREAU name can be found in the regions of Poitou and Saintonge in western France, where it was first documented in the 12th century. In these areas, the name appeared in various forms, such as Galtier, Gaulthier, and Gautier, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time.

One notable historical reference to the GAUTREAU name can be found in the Armorial Général de France, a comprehensive record of French nobility and armorial bearings compiled in the late 17th century. Several branches of the GAUTREAU family were registered in this document, indicating their status as part of the French nobility during that period.

Among the earliest recorded individuals bearing the GAUTREAU surname was Jean Galtier, a landowner and vintner who lived in the village of Saint-Emilion in the Gironde region of France during the 13th century. Another notable figure was Étienne Gautier (1572-1637), a French jurist and legal scholar who served as a counselor in the Parlement of Paris.

In the 16th century, the GAUTREAU name was associated with the village of Gaultret in the Charente region of France, suggesting a possible link between the surname and this place name. This connection is further reinforced by the existence of Jacques Gaultret (1550-1615), a renowned French composer and lutenist who hailed from the Charente region.

Other notable individuals bearing the GAUTREAU surname include:

1. François Gaultier (1589-1658), a French missionary and explorer who spent several years among the indigenous peoples of Canada.
2. René Gaultier (1609-1680), a French colonist and soldier who played a significant role in the early settlement of Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia, Canada).
3. Aloysius Gautier (1858-1918), a French Catholic priest and missionary who worked extensively in Indochina (modern-day Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos).
4. Théophile Gautier (1811-1872), a renowned French poet, novelist, and art critic, known for his contributions to the French Romantic movement.
5. Judith Gautier (1845-1917), a French poet, novelist, and musicologist, best known for her works inspired by East Asian literature and culture.

The GAUTREAU name has a rich history that spans several centuries and regions, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore this surname throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gautreau

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

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

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

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