2000
#6,647
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,690
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.74
Rare Last name
Giroux
A French toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "gravel" or "stony soil".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,300 Americans carry the last name Giroux. That puts it at #7,007 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 64,671 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Giroux 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
5.3K
1 in 64,671
Census rank
#7,007
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,622 bearers of the surname Giroux in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7007th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Giroux, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Giroux
The surname GIROUX finds its origins in France, specifically in the northern and central regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged sometime in the Middle Ages, likely during the 11th or 12th century.
One theory suggests that GIROUX is derived from the Old French word "girer," which means "to wander" or "to roam." This could indicate that the name was initially given to someone who traveled frequently or lived a nomadic lifestyle.
Another possible origin is that GIROUX is a locational surname, referring to a specific place or region. Some historians believe it may be connected to the town of Giroux, located in the Vosges department of northeastern France.
In ancient records, the name appears with various spellings, such as Giroud, Girault, and Giroult. These variations were common in the Middle Ages due to inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GIROUX surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a famous medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Geroud," likely referring to a landowner or tenant in England at that time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the GIROUX surname. For example, Jean-Baptiste Giroux (1775-1834) was a French clockmaker and watchmaker known for his innovative designs and contributions to the field of horology.
Another prominent figure was Maxime Giroux (1838-1909), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and played a significant role in the legal and political affairs of Quebec.
In the realm of arts and literature, René Giroux (1909-1988) was a French writer and poet who gained recognition for his works exploring existential themes and the human condition.
Moving to the United States, Joseph Giroux (1923-2015) was a highly decorated World War II veteran who received numerous honors, including the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart, for his bravery and service.
Finally, Carole Giroux (1957-present) is a contemporary Canadian singer and songwriter who has released several successful albums and has been recognized for her contributions to the French-Canadian music scene.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals with the GIROUX surname throughout history, reflecting the rich heritage and cultural significance of this French name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Giroux
Among Census respondents with the surname Giroux, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Giroux 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 Giroux surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 4,175
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 171
- Two or more races3.2% · 146
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 45
- Black or African American1.0% · 44
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 41
Timeline
Historical Census data for Giroux
Giroux 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
#6,882
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,885
+195 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.66
Rank movement Down 235 places
2020
#7,007
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,622
-263 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 1.55
Rank movement Down 125 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,647 | 4,690 | 1.74 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,882 | 4,885 | 1.66 | +195 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 235 places |
| 2020 | #7,007 | 4,622 | 1.55 | -263 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 125 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 Giroux 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 | #6,882 | #7,007 | -1.8% |
| Count | 4,885 | 4,622 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.66 | 1.55 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Giroux bearers went from 4,885 to 4,622 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 125 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,882 to #7,007.
FAQ
Giroux surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Giroux?
Name Census estimates that about 5,300 living Americans carry the surname Giroux. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 64,671 residents.
How common is Giroux?
Giroux ranks #7,007 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.55 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,622 people with the surname Giroux. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,300), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.55 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.55 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Giroux.
Has Giroux become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Giroux went from 4,885 recorded bearers to 4,622. That is a decrease of 263 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,882 to #7,007.
What does the Census say about the background of Giroux?
Among Census respondents with the surname Giroux, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Giroux in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (4,175 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Giroux appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Hispanic (3.7%), Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Giroux (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 Giroux mean?
A French toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "gravel" or "stony soil". 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 Giroux (1.55 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 Americans have the surname Giroux?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.