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

Marquis, 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 Marquis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Marquis in America

Marquis is the 4065th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Marquis surname appeared 8,737 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Marquis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Marquis 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 Marquis

The surname Marquis is of French origin, derived from the French title of nobility "marquis," which itself comes from the Old French word "marchis," meaning "march" or "frontier territory." The name first emerged in the Middle Ages and was used to refer to those who held the rank of marquis or governed a frontier region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marquis can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Marchis" and "Markys," indicating its French roots and the fluidity of spelling during that time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Marquis was Geoffroy de Marquis, a French nobleman who served as a knight and participated in the Seventh Crusade under King Louis IX of France. Another early bearer of the name was Jehan Marquis, a French poet who lived in the 14th century and wrote several works, including a collection of ballads.

During the Renaissance period, the name Marquis gained prominence in France, with several notable figures bearing it. One example is Michel de Marquis, a French diplomat and ambassador to England in the 16th century, who played a significant role in negotiations between the two countries.

In the 17th century, Jacques Marquis, a French philosopher and mathematician, made important contributions to the field of probability theory and is credited with developing the concept of probability distribution.

Moving into the 18th century, Marie-Joseph Marquis de Bombelles was a French diplomat and courtier who served as the Ambassador of France to the Netherlands and later as the Governor of the Austrian Netherlands. He played a crucial role in the events leading up to the French Revolution.

Another prominent figure with the surname Marquis was Auguste Marquis, a French composer and violinist who lived from 1784 to 1858. He composed several operas and ballets, and his works were performed at the Paris Opéra during his lifetime.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Marquis who have left their mark throughout history, spanning various fields and time periods. The name's French origins and association with nobility and governance have contributed to its enduring legacy and significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Marquis

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

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

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

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