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

Jeannette, 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 Jeannette surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jeannette in America

Jeannette is the 49546th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jeannette surname appeared 424 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 Jeannette.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jeannette 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 Jeannette

The surname Jeannette has its origins in France, tracing back to the 12th century. It is a French variation of the name Jeanne, which is derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious." The name Jeannette was often used as a diminutive form of Jeanne, indicating a sense of endearment or familiarity.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Jeannette can be found in various historical documents from the French regions of Normandy and Burgundy. It is believed that the name may have initially referred to the daughter or wife of someone named Jean, a common French name at the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Jeannette was Marie Jeannette, a French noble who lived in the 14th century. She was mentioned in several charters and records related to the transfer of land and properties in the region of Champagne.

In the 15th century, the name Jeannette appeared in the records of the city of Dijon, with a notable figure being Jean Jeannette, a merchant and member of the local guild. His descendants continued to use the surname in the following centuries.

During the 16th century, a prominent figure with the surname Jeannette was Étienne Jeannette, a scholar and philosopher born in Paris in 1548. He authored several works on logic and rhetoric and was a respected figure in academic circles of his time.

In the 17th century, the name Jeannette gained recognition through the works of the French playwright and actor Molière. In his famous play "Les Précieuses Ridicules," one of the characters is named Jeannette, representing a witty and clever servant.

Another notable bearer of the surname Jeannette was Marie-Marguerite Jeannette, a French painter and engraver born in 1674. She was renowned for her intricate etchings and engravings, and many of her works are preserved in various art collections across France.

As the surname Jeannette spread throughout France, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas, carried by French immigrants and settlers. While the name has undergone various spellings and adaptations over the centuries, its French roots and connection to the name Jeanne remain firmly established.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jeannette

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

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

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

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