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

Philidor, 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 Philidor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Philidor in America

Philidor is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Philidor surname appeared 107 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 Philidor.

The history of the last name Philidor

The surname PHILIDOR is of French origin, emerging in the late 16th century. It is derived from the Old French word "philidort," which means "golden sleep" or "gilded sleep." The name is believed to have originated in the Normandy region of northern France.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PHILIDOR surname can be found in the marriage records of Saint-Merry parish in Paris, dated 1598. This record mentions a certain Nicolas PHILIDOR who married Marie Leclerc.

In the 17th century, the PHILIDOR name gained prominence with the birth of André Danican PHILIDOR (1647-1730), a celebrated French composer and musician. He served as a court musician to King Louis XIV and is credited with composing numerous operas and ballets.

Another notable figure bearing the PHILIDOR surname was François-André Danican PHILIDOR (1726-1795), a renowned chess player and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of the 18th century and is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Chess Analysis."

In the literary world, the PHILIDOR name is associated with Marie-Gabriel-Auguste-Laurent, comte de PHILIDOR (1736-1795), a French dramatist and librettist. He is best known for his comedies and collaborations with renowned composers such as Gluck and Grétry.

During the 19th century, a prominent member of the PHILIDOR family was André-Napoléon PHILIDOR (1801-1863), a French lawyer and politician. He served as a deputy in the French National Assembly and was a staunch supporter of Napoleon III's regime.

Another notable individual with the PHILIDOR surname was François-Henri-Eugène PHILIDOR (1795-1842), a French playwright and librettist. He is credited with writing numerous plays and operatic libretti, including works for composers such as Auber and Boieldieu.

While the PHILIDOR surname originated in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the Old French word "philidort," reflecting the name's historical significance and enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Philidor

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

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

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

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