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

Poitevien, 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 Poitevien surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Poitevien in America

Poitevien is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poitevien surname appeared 160 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 Poitevien.

We can also compare 2010 data for Poitevien 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 Poitevien

The surname Poitevien is of French origin, deriving from the historical region of Poitou in western France. This area was once a province and duchy centered around the city of Poitiers. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, used to identify individuals who hailed from this region.

The earliest known records of the surname can be traced back to the 12th century, with mentions in various charters and documents from Poitou. One notable early reference is found in the 1198 cartulary of the abbey of Saint-Cyprien in Poitiers, which lists a certain Gaufridus Poitevien as a witness to a land transaction.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Poictevin, Poytevyn, and Poytevin, reflecting the evolving nature of the French language and regional dialects. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the Latin term "Pictavensis," meaning "of Poitiers."

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Guillaume Poitevien served as a canon of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, playing a role in the construction of the iconic Gothic cathedral. Another notable bearer of the name was Jean Poitevien, a 14th-century jurist and legal scholar from Poitiers.

During the Renaissance period, the Poitevien family produced several notable figures. Pierre Poitevien (1515-1584) was a French Protestant theologian and author, known for his works on biblical exegesis. His contemporary, Jacques Poitevien (1522-1592), was a renowned physician and writer on medical topics.

In the 17th century, a Poitevien family settled in the French colony of Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick), where they played a role in the region's early settlement and development. One such figure was Pierre Poitevien (1635-1701), a farmer and landowner in the Acadian community of Grand Pré.

Throughout history, the Poitevien surname has been associated with various professions and areas of influence, from the clergy and academia to medicine and colonial settlement. While not a particularly widespread name, it remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Poitou region and its enduring impact on French history and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poitevien

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

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

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

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