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

Joyal, 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 Joyal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Joyal in America

Joyal is the 17463rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Joyal surname appeared 1,614 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 Joyal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Joyal 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 Joyal

The surname JOYAL originated in France, likely during the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "joie," which means "joy" or "happiness." The name likely referred to someone with a joyful or cheerful demeanor.

JOYAL is a variation of the more common French surname JOYEUX, which also means "joyful." The earliest recorded instances of the name JOYAL can be found in medieval French records and documents from the regions of Normandy and Brittany.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Jean JOYAL, a farmer who lived in the village of Quettehou in Normandy in the late 13th century. Records from the Abbey of Hambye in Normandy also mention a Gilles JOYAL, a shepherd who lived in the nearby village of Heugueville in the early 14th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name JOYAL appeared occasionally in various legal documents, tax rolls, and parish records throughout northern France. In the 15th century, a Guillaume JOYAL was mentioned in the court records of the Duchy of Burgundy, where he was involved in a land dispute.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the name was Jean-Baptiste JOYAL, a French Catholic priest and missionary who was born in Rouen in 1628. He spent several years preaching and establishing missions in Canada and the French colonies in the Americas before his death in 1694.

Another historical figure with the surname JOYAL was Pierre JOYAL, a French soldier and explorer who was born in Normandy in 1712. He participated in several expeditions to the West Indies and the Caribbean, and his journals and accounts provide valuable insights into the early French colonization efforts in the region.

In the 19th century, a prominent JOYAL was Émile JOYAL, a French writer and journalist who was born in Paris in 1823. He was known for his literary works and his contributions to several French newspapers and magazines. Émile JOYAL died in 1892.

While the surname JOYAL is relatively uncommon, it has been carried by notable individuals throughout history, primarily in France and its former colonies. The name's origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the Old French language, reflecting its connection to the concept of joy and happiness.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Joyal

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

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

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

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