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

Matteau, 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 Matteau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matteau in America

Matteau is the 92358th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matteau surname appeared 199 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 Matteau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matteau 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 Matteau

The surname Matteau originated in France, deriving from the French word "matou," meaning "tomcat." It likely first emerged in the 12th or 13th century as a nickname for someone who exhibited cat-like characteristics, such as agility or stealth.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historic French documents from the 13th century, where it appeared with various spellings, including Matou, Matoux, and Mateaux. Some of these early records mention individuals from the northern regions of France, particularly around the areas of Normandy and Picardy.

One notable early bearer of the name was Jean Matteau, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War during the 15th century. Records indicate that he was born in the village of Mateauville, near Rouen, in 1412 and died in battle in 1458.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the records of the Catholic Church in France, such as baptismal and marriage registers. For instance, Pierre Matteau, born in 1542 in Amiens, was a well-known merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the local economy of his region.

As the name spread across France over the centuries, it also emerged in various place names, such as the village of Matteauville in Normandy, which likely took its name from an early settler with the surname.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Matteau name gained prominence through several notable individuals, including Jacques Matteau (1623-1698), a renowned French painter known for his portraits of nobility, and Marie-Anne Matteau (1744-1818), a prominent author and feminist who advocated for women's rights and education.

In the 19th century, the Matteau name crossed the Atlantic, with some bearers settling in Canada and the United States. One of the earliest recorded instances in North America was Antoine Matteau, who was born in Quebec City in 1812 and later became a successful businessman and landowner in the region.

Throughout history, the Matteau surname has been carried by numerous individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, soldiers, merchants, and more. While the name may have originated as a nickname, it has since become a respected surname with a rich heritage and a presence across multiple countries and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matteau

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

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

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

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