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

Marcellais, 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 Marcellais surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Marcellais in America

Marcellais is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Marcellais surname appeared 104 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 Marcellais.

The history of the last name Marcellais

The surname MARCELLAIS has its origins in France, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Marcellay or Marcelai, which was likely a small village or hamlet in northern France.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MARCELLAIS surname can be found in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Fécamp, a medieval cartulary or manuscript from the 12th century. This document mentions a "Robertus de Marcellai" in the year 1175, suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.

The name MARCELLAIS may have evolved from the Old French words "marche" and "lay," which combined could mean something akin to "boundary meadow" or "boundary clearing." This etymology would align with the name's potential locational origins, as it may have referred to a settlement situated near a boundary or border area.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family bearing the MARCELLAIS name residing in the region of Normandy, France. One notable figure from this time was Guillaume MARCELLAIS, a landowner and minor nobleman who lived in the late 1200s.

During the 16th century, the MARCELLAIS surname began to spread beyond its initial localized area. In 1542, a document from the city of Rouen mentions a merchant named Pierre MARCELLAIS, indicating that the name had reached urban centers by that point.

Another historically significant individual with the MARCELLAIS surname was Jean MARCELLAIS, a French religious scholar and theologian born in 1618. He authored several works on Catholic doctrine and teachings during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the MARCELLAIS name appeared in the records of several rural parishes in northern France, suggesting that it maintained its presence in smaller communities as well as larger towns and cities.

One notable bearer of the MARCELLAIS surname was François MARCELLAIS, a French soldier and military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. Born in 1789, he achieved the rank of Captain and was awarded the Légion d'Honneur for his service.

Throughout its history, the MARCELLAIS surname has maintained its roots in France, though it has likely spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora over the centuries. While not an exceptionally common name, it has left its mark on the historical records of various regions within France.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Marcellais

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

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 Marcellais 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.

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

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

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