2000
#6,985
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,425
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.64
Rare Last name
Martineau
A French occupational surname referring to a person who worked as a swallow keeper or swallow trainer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,456 Americans carry the last name Martineau. That puts it at #6,810 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.59 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 62,822 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Martineau surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Martineau with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.5K
1 in 62,822
Census rank
#6,810
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,758 bearers of the surname Martineau in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.59 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6810th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Martineau, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Martineau
The surname Martineau originated in France, specifically in the region of Normandy, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French personal name "Martin," which itself comes from the Latin name "Martinus," meaning "of Mars" or "warlike." The suffix "-eau" is a common diminutive in French surnames, indicating a small or young person.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Martineau name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Martinel" and is believed to refer to a Norman landholder who accompanied William during the conquest of England.
In the 13th century, the Martineau family established themselves in the village of Martineau in Normandy, which likely took its name from an early bearer of the surname. This village is located near the town of Mortain, and the name Martineau may have been influenced by the place name "Mortain."
One notable figure bearing the Martineau surname was Jacques Martineau (1569-1653), a French Huguenot minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in France. He was known for his writings on religious tolerance and his efforts to promote unity among Protestants.
Another prominent individual was Harriet Martineau (1802-1876), an English social theorist, philosopher, and writer who was considered a pioneer of sociology. She wrote extensively on topics such as political economy, social reform, and women's rights, and her work had a profound impact on Victorian-era thought.
In the United States, John Martineau (1798-1859) was a notable figure in the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). He was one of the first converts to the faith and served as a missionary and leader in the church.
The Martineau family also had a presence in Canada, with one of the earliest recorded instances being Jacques Martineau (1662-1737), a French immigrant who settled in Quebec and established a successful farming operation.
Finally, Edith Martineau (1842-1909) was a British artist and author known for her watercolor paintings and her writings on art and nature. She was a member of the prestigious Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours and exhibited her work widely during her lifetime.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Martineau
Among Census respondents with the surname Martineau, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Martineau bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Martineau surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.9% · 3,994
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 224
- Two or more races4.5% · 214
- Black or African American3.6% · 172
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.2% · 104
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 50
Timeline
Historical Census data for Martineau
Martineau appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,737
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,006
+581 bearers (+13.1%)
Per 100,000 1.70
Rank movement Up 248 places
2020
#6,810
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,758
-248 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 1.59
Rank movement Down 73 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,985 | 4,425 | 1.64 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,737 | 5,006 | 1.70 | +581 bearers (+13.1%) | Up 248 places |
| 2020 | #6,810 | 4,758 | 1.59 | -248 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 73 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Martineau surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,737 | #6,810 | -1.1% |
| Count | 5,006 | 4,758 | -5.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.70 | 1.59 | -6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Martineau bearers went from 5,006 to 4,758 (-5.0% change). The surname moved down 73 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,737 to #6,810.
FAQ
Martineau surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Martineau?
Name Census estimates that about 5,456 living Americans carry the surname Martineau. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 62,822 residents.
How common is Martineau?
Martineau ranks #6,810 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.59 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,758 people with the surname Martineau. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,456), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.59 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.59 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Martineau.
Has Martineau become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Martineau went from 5,006 recorded bearers to 4,758. That is a decrease of 248 (-5.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,737 to #6,810.
What does the Census say about the background of Martineau?
Among Census respondents with the surname Martineau, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Martineau in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.9% (3,994 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Martineau appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.9%), Hispanic (4.7%), Two or More Races (4.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Martineau (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Martineau mean?
A French occupational surname referring to a person who worked as a swallow keeper or swallow trainer. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Martineau (1.59 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Martineau?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.