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

Papillion, 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 Papillion surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Papillion in America

Papillion is the 36838th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Papillion surname appeared 606 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 Papillion.

We can also compare 2010 data for Papillion 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 Papillion

The surname Papillion has its origins in France, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the French word "papillon," which means butterfly. The name is believed to have originated as a nickname for someone who had an affinity for butterflies or whose movements resembled those of a butterfly.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 1292 tax rolls of Normandy, where a certain Guillaume Papillion is mentioned. Another early reference comes from the 1311 parish records of Rouen, which list a Jean Papillion.

The name Papillion is also associated with various place names in France, such as Papillonville, a small village in the Normandy region. It is possible that some individuals with this surname may have taken their name from these place names, which themselves were derived from the French word "papillon."

During the 14th century, the name Papillion appeared in several historical documents, including the Hundred Years' War records, where a soldier named Robert Papillion was mentioned as fighting for the French army in 1346.

Over the centuries, the surname Papillion has been associated with notable figures, such as François Papillion (1615-1701), a French engraver and cartographer who produced several maps of France and its provinces. Another notable bearer of the name was Pierre Papillion (1666-1738), a French playwright and poet who wrote several comedies and tragedies.

In the 19th century, Louis Papillion (1809-1876) was a French botanist and naturalist who conducted extensive research on the flora and fauna of the Caribbean islands. His work contributed significantly to the understanding of the region's biodiversity.

Moving to the 20th century, Marcel Papillion (1918-2002) was a French artist and sculptor known for his abstract and avant-garde works. His sculptures can be found in various museums and public spaces across France.

While the surname Papillion is primarily associated with France, it has also been adopted by individuals in other countries, particularly those with French ancestry or connections. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the French language and its association with butterflies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Papillion

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

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

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

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