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

Houle, 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 Houle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Houle in America

Houle is the 4239th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Houle surname appeared 8,364 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Houle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Houle 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 Houle

The surname Houle has its origins in France, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "houlle," which means "hill" or "mound." Originally, the name was likely used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a hill or on a small mound of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Houle surname appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England conducted in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This suggests that individuals with the name had migrated from France to England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

In medieval times, the name was often spelled with variations such as "Hoole," "Hole," and "Houlle." These alternative spellings were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions during that period.

The Houle surname can also be traced back to specific geographic locations in France. For instance, the village of Houlle, located in the northern region of Pas-de-Calais, is believed to be a place of origin for some Houle families.

Notable individuals with the surname Houle throughout history include Louis Houle (1663-1739), a French-Canadian farmer and one of the earliest settlers in the Trois-Rivières region of Quebec. Another prominent figure was Léon Houle (1839-1905), a Canadian priest and educator who founded the École d'Agriculture de Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, one of the first agricultural schools in Quebec.

In the realm of literature, Édouard Houle (1898-1966) was a Canadian poet and journalist known for his works exploring themes of nature and rural life. Additionally, Gilles Houle (1921-2002) was a renowned Canadian anthropologist and ethnographer who conducted extensive research on the indigenous cultures of Quebec and Labrador.

The Houle surname has also been carried by notable individuals in the field of sports, such as Roger Houle (1927-2016), a Canadian ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1940s and 1950s.

These examples demonstrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals bearing the Houle surname throughout history, reflecting the name's enduring presence across various regions and fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Houle

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

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

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

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