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

Joye, 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 Joye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Joye in America

Joye is the 20818th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Joye surname appeared 1,268 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 Joye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Joye 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 Joye

The surname JOYE has its origins in France, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "joie," which means "joy" or "delight." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone who was known for their cheerful or joyful disposition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the JOYE surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a detailed survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Joie" and "Joia," indicating its French roots.

In the 13th century, the JOYE surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. During this time, the name was often associated with certain place names, such as "Joyeuse" and "Joye-sur-Morin," which may have influenced the spellings and variations of the surname.

One notable bearer of the JOYE surname was Jean de Joye, a French historian and chronicler who lived in the 15th century. He is best known for his work "Histoire de la Prise de Constantinople," which documented the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

In England, the JOYE surname can be traced back to the 16th century, likely introduced by French immigrants or settlers. One of the earliest recorded examples is William Joye, a Protestant reformer and translator who was born in Bedfordshire around 1495. He is known for his English translation of the Bible, which was published in 1534.

Another prominent figure with the JOYE surname was René Joye, a French Jesuit missionary who lived in the 17th century. He spent several years in Canada, where he worked among the indigenous populations, establishing missions and learning their languages.

In the 18th century, the JOYE surname gained prominence in the United States, particularly in the southern states. One notable American with this surname was James Joye, a lawyer and politician from South Carolina who served in the Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War.

As the name spread across different regions and cultures, various spellings and variations emerged, such as Joy, Joyeux, and Joyet. However, the common thread remains the association with joy, delight, and cheerfulness, reflecting the surname's origins as a descriptive nickname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Joye

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

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

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

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