Généreux last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Généreux

A French surname meaning "generous" or "bountiful".

Généreux, 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 Généreux surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Généreux in America

Généreux is the 28552nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Généreux surname appeared 835 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 Généreux.

We can also compare 2010 data for Généreux 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 28552 27361 4.26%
Count 835 830 0.60%
Proportion per 100k 0.28 0.31 -10.17%

The history of the last name Généreux

The surname Genereux originated in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It can be traced back to the 13th century, deriving from the Old French word "genereus," which means "noble" or "generous." This term ultimately finds its roots in the Latin word "generosus," signifying someone of noble birth or high rank.

During the Middle Ages, the name Genereux was commonly bestowed upon individuals who displayed traits of generosity, nobility, and magnanimity. It was a descriptive surname that reflected the character and virtues associated with the person who bore it. The earliest known record of the name appears in a medieval manuscript dated 1287, documenting a nobleman named Hugues Genereux who resided in the Picardy region of northern France.

In the 14th century, the name gained prominence when a renowned knight, Sir Jacques Genereux, was mentioned in historical chronicles for his bravery and chivalry during the Hundred Years' War between England and France. His exploits on the battlefield and his generous acts toward fellow soldiers and civilians cemented the Genereux name as a symbol of valor and benevolence.

Throughout the centuries, the Genereux surname has been associated with various notable figures. In the 16th century, Pierre Genereux (1510-1578) was a celebrated French playwright and poet whose works were widely acclaimed during the Renaissance period. Another prominent individual was Marie Genereux (1682-1745), a philanthropist and patron of the arts who established several charitable institutions in Paris.

The name Genereux has also been linked to several place names in France, such as the village of Genereux in the Auvergne region, which was likely named after an early settler or landowner bearing the surname. Additionally, variations of the name's spelling, such as Genereaux and Generau, have been documented in historical records.

Notables with the Genereux surname throughout history include:

  1. Guillaume Genereux (1520-1592), a French nobleman and statesman who served as an advisor to King Henry IV.
  2. René Genereux (1635-1699), a French explorer and cartographer who mapped regions of North America during the 17th century.
  3. Émilie Genereux (1785-1849), a prominent French educator and advocate for women's rights during the early 19th century.
  4. Louis Genereux (1842-1917), a French-Canadian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament.
  5. Jeanne Genereux (1892-1968), a renowned French artist and sculptor known for her intricate bronze sculptures and public monuments.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Généreux

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

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 Généreux was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 93.41% 780
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.84% 7
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.99% 25
Hispanic Origin 1.92% 16

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 Généreux has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 93.41% 96.02% -2.76%
Black 0.84% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.99% 2.17% 31.78%
Hispanic 1.92% 0.96% 66.67%

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

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Généreux last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 12, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/genereux-surname-popularity/.

"Généreux last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/genereux-surname-popularity/. Accessed 12 June, 2025

Généreux last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/genereux-surname-popularity/.

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