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

Peneaux, 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 Peneaux surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peneaux in America

Peneaux is the 130610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peneaux surname appeared 130 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 Peneaux.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peneaux 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 Peneaux

The surname PENEAUX originated in France during the medieval period, derived from the Old French word "peneau" which referred to a small cloak or cape. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who habitually wore such a garment.

The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the region of Normandy in northern France, where it appears in various medieval records and charters from the 12th and 13th centuries. One of the earliest known bearers was Robert Peneaux, a landowner mentioned in a charter from the year 1187.

In the 13th century, the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire, England, indicating that individuals with this surname had likely emigrated to England by that time. One notable example is Walter Peneaux, who is recorded as holding lands in Worcestershire in 1275.

During the 14th century, the surname appears to have spread to other regions of France, including the Île-de-France and Picardy. In a 1342 census of Paris, several households headed by individuals with the surname PENEAUX are listed.

One of the earliest prominent figures bearing this name was Jean Peneaux, a French nobleman and military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born in the late 14th century and served under King Charles VI of France, participating in several battles against the English forces.

In the 15th century, the name continued to be found in various records across northern France. One notable mention is that of Guillaume Peneaux, a merchant from Rouen who is recorded as having traded goods with England in the year 1467.

Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, several individuals with the surname PENEAUX made notable contributions in various fields. Jacques Peneaux (1528-1592) was a renowned French theologian and author, while Pierre Peneaux (1589-1663) was a respected mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of calculus.

Another prominent figure was Marie-Élisabeth Peneaux (1677-1736), a French actress and playwright who was highly regarded for her performances in comedic roles during the early 18th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peneaux

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

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

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

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