2000
#77,742
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 229
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Jolie
A French surname meaning "pretty" or "beautiful".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 453 Americans carry the last name Jolie. That puts it at #55,981 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 756,632 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jolie 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
453
1 in 756,632
Census rank
#55,981
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
395
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 395 bearers of the surname Jolie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 55981st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jolie, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.2%) and Hispanic (6.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jolie
The surname Jolie is believed to have originated in France, likely during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "jolif," which translates to "pretty" or "joyful." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone with an attractive or cheerful demeanor.
In the 13th century, there are records of individuals bearing variations of the name, such as "Joli" and "Jolif," in regions like Normandy and Brittany. These early spellings reflect the linguistic evolution of the name from its Old French roots.
One of the earliest known references to the Jolie surname can be found in the Calendars of the Exchequer Rolls of Normandy, dating back to the late 12th century. These records documented financial transactions and land ownership in the region, indicating that the name was already established among the local population.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Jolie name appeared in various legal documents and chronicles across northern France, suggesting its gradual spread and adoption by different families. Some notable individuals from this period include Jean Jolie, a merchant from Rouen mentioned in a 1412 trade agreement, and Guillemette Jolie, a landowner from Amiens whose estate is referenced in a 1497 property deed.
In the 16th century, the Jolie surname gained greater prominence with the rise of Étienne Jolie (1532-1592), a renowned French architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Pont Neuf bridge across the Seine River.
Another notable figure was Marie Jolie (1598-1665), a French writer and poet who published a collection of sonnets and was celebrated for her literary talent during the Renaissance period.
As the centuries progressed, the Jolie surname continued to spread across France and beyond, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in different regions. In the 18th century, Jacques Jolie (1712-1784) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the Bordeaux region, known for his successful wine trade.
Fast forward to the 19th century, and we find Marie-Aimée Jolie (1830-1899), a French sculptor and artist who gained recognition for her intricate marble and bronze works exhibited in Paris salons.
While these are just a few examples, the Jolie surname has a rich history deeply rooted in French culture and society, reflecting the evolution of language and the diverse achievements of individuals who have carried this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jolie
Among Census respondents with the surname Jolie, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.2%) and Hispanic (6.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Jolie 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 Jolie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.4% · 290
- Black or African American13.2% · 52
- Hispanic or Latino6.1% · 24
- Two or more races4.1% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jolie
Jolie 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
#57,781
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 352
+123 bearers (+53.7%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 19,961 places
2020
#55,981
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 395
+43 bearers (+12.2%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 1,800 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #77,742 | 229 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #57,781 | 352 | 0.12 | +123 bearers (+53.7%) | Up 19,961 places |
| 2020 | #55,981 | 395 | 0.13 | +43 bearers (+12.2%) | Up 1,800 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 Jolie 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 | #57,781 | #55,981 | 3.1% |
| Count | 352 | 395 | 12.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.13 | 10.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jolie bearers went from 352 to 395 (+12.2% change). The surname moved up 1,800 positions in the national ranking, going from #57,781 to #55,981.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Jolie
FAQ
Jolie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jolie?
Name Census estimates that about 453 living Americans carry the surname Jolie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 756,632 residents.
How common is Jolie?
Jolie ranks #55,981 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 395 people with the surname Jolie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (453), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Jolie.
Has Jolie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jolie went from 352 recorded bearers to 395. That is an increase of 43 (+12.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #57,781 to #55,981.
What does the Census say about the background of Jolie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jolie, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.2%) and Hispanic (6.1%). 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 Jolie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.4% (290 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jolie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (73.4%), Black (13.2%), Hispanic (6.1%). 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 Jolie (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 Jolie mean?
A French surname meaning "pretty" or "beautiful". 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 Jolie (0.13 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 common is the surname Jolie?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Jolie on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.