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

Jeanfreau, 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 Jeanfreau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jeanfreau in America

Jeanfreau is the 70645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jeanfreau surname appeared 277 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 Jeanfreau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jeanfreau 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 Jeanfreau

The surname Jeanfreau has its origins in France, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words "Jean" and "freau," which together translate to "Jean's son." This naming convention was common during that era, with surnames often indicating a person's relationship to their father or grandfather.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Jeanfreau can be found in various French parish records and census documents from the late 1500s and early 1600s. It was primarily concentrated in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Brittany.

One notable early bearer of the name was Jacques Jeanfreau, a French merchant who lived in Rouen during the late 16th century. Historical records indicate that he was involved in the thriving textile trade between France and England, suggesting that the Jeanfreau family may have had ties to this industry.

By the 17th century, the name had spread to other parts of France, including the Poitou and Anjou regions. In the 1670s, a man named Pierre Jeanfreau was listed as a landowner in the parish records of Angers, a city in western France.

As the centuries progressed, the Jeanfreau name continued to be carried by individuals across various walks of life. One notable figure was Louis Jeanfreau (1737-1811), a French military officer who served during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Marie Jeanfreau (1812-1891), a French author and educator who authored several books on language and literature. She was renowned for her work in promoting education for women during a time when such opportunities were limited.

In the 19th century, the Jeanfreau surname also found its way to North America, with many French immigrants settling in regions such as Louisiana and Quebec. One example is Émile Jeanfreau (1856-1932), a Cajun musician and composer from Louisiana who played a significant role in preserving the state's rich musical heritage.

Throughout its history, the Jeanfreau name has undergone various spelling variations, including Janfreau, Jeanfreaux, and Jeanfrau. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local customs, further reflecting the name's deep roots in French culture and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jeanfreau

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

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

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

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