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

Occupant, 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 Occupant surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Occupant in America

Occupant is the 105374th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Occupant surname appeared 157 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Occupant.

The history of the last name Occupant

The surname Occupant has roots that can be traced back to medieval France, specifically around the 12th century. The name likely originated in the regions of Normandy and Île-de-France, areas known for their complex feudal systems and evolving land ownership practices. Derived from the Old French word "occupant," meaning "one who occupies" or "inhabitant," the surname was typically applied to individuals who held or lived on a particular piece of land.

Its connection to landholding is significant given the social context of medieval Europe, where surnames often denoted occupation, status, or location. The term "occupant" itself comes from the Latin "occupare," meaning "to seize" or "take possession of," reinforcing the name’s ties to land and property. The first recorded instance of the surname appears in a 13th-century Norman manuscript, where a certain Guillaume l'Occupant was noted as a local landholder.

The name continued to appear in historical records but often with various spellings, such as Occupan, Ocupant, or Occuppant. In the 1345 census of Marseille, a Jean Ocupant is documented as a merchant, showing how the name persisted and adapted in different regions and languages.

In 15th century England, the name was anglicized during the Plantagenet rule, and records from this period mention a Thomas Occupant, a serf who was granted his freedom by his lord in 1472. This grant was recorded in the manorial rolls of Sussex, highlighting the name's association with yet another form of land occupancy—this time tied to serfdom and feudal obligations.

One of the more distinguished bearers of the name was Marguerite Occupant, a prominent figure in the French Resistance during World War II. Born in 1908 and passing in 1943, her significant contributions helped shelter hundreds of refugees and disrupt German operations.

In the early 18th century, a notable bearer was Philippe Occupant, a cartographer under King Louis XIV, who contributed significantly to the detailed mapping of New France. The precision and diligence of his work have left a lasting legacy in geographical records.

The name later appears in the 19th-century industrializing regions of Europe, where a François Occupant is listed as a factory owner in Lyon during 1836. His factory played a crucial role in the burgeoning textile industry, providing employment to numerous locals.

Thus, the surname Occupant has a rich and varied history tied deeply to land and property, evolving through various spellings and geographic regions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Occupant

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Occupant 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 Occupant was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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