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

Jennette, 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 Jennette surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jennette in America

Jennette is the 15792nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jennette surname appeared 1,844 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Jennette.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jennette 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 Jennette

The surname Jennette originates from France and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a variant of the French name Janette, which itself is derived from the biblical name John, meaning "God is gracious" in Hebrew.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jennette can be found in the records of the northern French region of Normandy during the 12th century. It is likely that the name was initially used as a diminutive form of Janette, which was a common feminine name among the French nobility at the time.

As the Jennette family spread across France and eventually into other parts of Europe, the spelling of the name underwent various changes. In some regions, it was spelled Jenette, while in others it appeared as Gennette or even Genette.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Jennette was Jean-Baptiste Jennette, a French philosopher and writer who lived in the 17th century (1620-1690). He was known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy, and his writings were widely read and debated among the intellectual circles of his time.

Another significant individual with the Jennette surname was Marie-Thérèse Jennette (1735-1812), a prominent French feminist and advocate for women's rights during the Enlightenment era. She was a vocal supporter of the French Revolution and played an active role in the struggle for gender equality.

In the 19th century, the name Jennette appeared in several literary works, including the novel "Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo. One of the characters in the book, a young woman named Jennette Thenardier, was a member of a family of innkeepers who played a pivotal role in the story.

The name Jennette was also associated with several place names in France, such as the village of Jennette-sur-Seine in the Île-de-France region. This village was mentioned in historical records dating back to the 13th century, suggesting that the name had already been established in the area by that time.

Another notable figure with the surname Jennette was Émile Jennette (1856-1924), a French engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early aviation technology. He was one of the pioneers in the field of aeronautics and is credited with designing and building several successful aircraft prototypes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Overall, the surname Jennette has a rich and fascinating history that spans several centuries and encompasses various aspects of French culture, literature, and scientific achievements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jennette

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

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

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

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