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

Legault, 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 Legault surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Legault in America

Legault is the 15600th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Legault surname appeared 1,874 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 Legault.

We can also compare 2010 data for Legault 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 Legault

The surname LEGAULT has its origins in France, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French words "le" meaning "the" and "gaut" or "galt," referring to a wooded or forested area. This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded region.

As with many French surnames, the name LEGAULT can be traced to various regions within France, but it is particularly associated with the northern and central regions of the country. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval documents from the 12th and 13th centuries, where variations such as "Le Gault" and "Legaut" appear.

One notable historical reference to the name LEGAULT can be found in the records of the Hundred Years' War between England and France, which lasted from 1337 to 1453. During this period, a French soldier named Jean LEGAULT is mentioned as having fought bravely in the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Throughout the centuries, the LEGAULT name has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of this surname was Guillaume LEGAULT, a French landowner who lived in the 14th century and whose name appears in property records from the region of Normandy.

In the 16th century, a French explorer and cartographer named Jacques LEGAULT made significant contributions to the mapping of the East Coast of North America. His detailed charts and maps of the coastline proved invaluable for future navigators and settlers.

During the 17th century, a French priest named Pierre LEGAULT played a crucial role in the establishment of the Catholic Church in the French colony of Quebec. He is recognized for his efforts in ministering to the indigenous populations and helping to build the first churches in the region.

In the 19th century, a prominent French artist and painter named Émile LEGAULT gained recognition for his captivating landscape paintings, many of which depicted the natural beauty of the French countryside and forests, perhaps reflecting the origins of his surname.

Another notable figure with the LEGAULT surname was Marie LEGAULT, a French-Canadian activist and advocate for women's rights in the early 20th century. She was a pioneering figure in the fight for gender equality and played a significant role in advancing the feminist movement in Quebec.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Legault

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

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

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

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