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

Navez, 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 Navez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Navez in America

Navez is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Navez surname appeared 135 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 Navez.

The history of the last name Navez

The surname NAVEZ originated in the Walloon region of Belgium during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "navez," meaning "turnip," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to a turnip farmer or someone associated with the cultivation of this root vegetable.

Historically, the name first appeared in records from the 13th century in the area around the city of Namur. One of the earliest documented references was found in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Floreffe, a medieval manuscript dated 1248, which mentioned a person named Jehans Navez.

In the 14th century, the NAVEZ surname was recorded in various locations across the Walloon region, including in the villages of Andenne and Huy. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled differently, such as "Navay" or "Navaye," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and orthography.

One notable figure bearing the NAVEZ surname was François-Joseph Navez, a renowned Belgian painter born in 1787 in Charleroi. He studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels and became a leading figure in the Neoclassical art movement. His works, including historical and mythological scenes, were widely celebrated during his lifetime, and he served as the director of the Académie from 1835 until his death in 1869.

Another significant individual with the NAVEZ surname was Lambert Navez, a Walloon architect and sculptor born in Liège in 1690. He is best known for his contributions to the design and construction of the Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin in Liège, a prominent example of Baroque architecture in the region.

In the 18th century, the NAVEZ name appeared in various legal documents and property records in the Walloon region, indicating the family's continued presence and influence. One such record from 1756 mentions a Jean-Baptiste NAVEZ, a landowner in the village of Havelange.

While the NAVEZ surname has its origins in the Walloon region of Belgium, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world through migration and intermarriage. However, its historical roots and early recorded instances remain firmly tied to the medieval and early modern periods in the area now known as Wallonia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Navez

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

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

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

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