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

Jourdain, 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 Jourdain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jourdain in America

Jourdain is the 26695th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jourdain surname appeared 912 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 Jourdain.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jourdain 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 Jourdain

The surname Jourdain originated in France and has Norman roots. It is derived from the Old French personal name "Jordain" or "Jordain," which is itself derived from the river Jordan in the Middle East. The name has been recorded in various spellings over the centuries, including Jordain, Jordayne, Jourdan, and Jourdain.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was a Norman knight named Jourdain de Brionne, who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Jourdain de Brionne was granted land in Wiltshire, England, and his descendants continued to use the surname Jourdain.

The Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England, records several individuals with the surname Jourdain, indicating the name's presence in England shortly after the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Jourdain de Blaye, a French troubadour and poet from Aquitaine. He composed several courtly love songs and participated in literary competitions at the court of King Henry III of England.

Another prominent figure was Jourdain de Séverac (c. 1280-1340), a French nobleman and military leader who fought in the Hundred Years' War against the English. He was a close companion of King Philip VI of France and played a significant role in several battles.

In the 15th century, Jourdain Larchevêque (c. 1410-1470) was a French mathematician and astronomer known for his work on planetary motions and the development of astronomical tables.

During the 16th century, François Jourdain (c. 1510-1575) was a French Protestant theologian and author who played a role in the Protestant Reformation in France. He translated several works by John Calvin and wrote treatises on religious topics.

The surname Jourdain has also been associated with various place names in France, such as Jourdain-de-Muizon, a commune in the Marne department, and Jourdain, a village in the Cantal department. These place names may have influenced the surname's origin or provided additional sources for its spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jourdain

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

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

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

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