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

Jou, 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 Jou surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jou in America

Jou is the 36477th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jou surname appeared 613 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 Jou.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jou 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 Jou

The surname "Jou" has its origins in the French-speaking regions of Western Europe, specifically in the areas around modern-day France and Belgium. The name is believed to have emerged in the latter part of the medieval period, likely during the 13th or 14th century.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in historical records from the Duchy of Burgundy, where it appeared as a variation of the Old French word "jou," meaning "joy" or "pleasure." It is possible that the name was initially bestowed upon someone with a particularly joyful or pleasant demeanor.

In the centuries that followed, the name spread to other parts of France and neighboring regions, undergoing various spelling variations such as "Joux," "Jouy," and "Joie." These variations often reflected local dialects and the influence of regional languages like Occitan and Norman French.

One notable early bearer of the name was Jean Jou, a French merchant and explorer who embarked on several voyages to the Americas in the late 16th century. His accounts of the New World territories contributed to the growing knowledge of the era's explorers and geographers.

Another figure of historical significance was Marie-Madeleine Jou de Bernière, a 17th-century French noblewoman and philanthropist. She founded several charitable institutions in Paris and was renowned for her dedication to assisting the poor and underprivileged.

In the realm of literature, the name "Jou" appears in the works of renowned French authors like François Rabelais and Voltaire, although often as minor characters or references.

Across the English Channel, the name found its way to the British Isles through Norman settlers and immigrants, sometimes appearing as "Jowe" or "Jowe." One notable example is Sir Thomas Jowe, a 15th-century English knight who served under King Henry VI during the War of the Roses.

As the centuries passed, the name continued to evolve and spread across various regions, carried by families and individuals who contributed to the rich tapestry of their respective communities and societies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jou

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

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

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

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