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

Porlier, 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 Porlier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Porlier in America

Porlier is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Porlier surname appeared 133 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 Porlier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Porlier 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 Porlier

The surname Porlier is of French origin, originating in the northern regions of France during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the French word "portier," which means "gatekeeper" or "doorman." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who worked as a gatekeeper or porter, likely at a castle, manor, or other significant property.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Porlier can be traced back to the 13th century in various French records and documents. One notable historical reference is in the Livre des métiers d'Étienne Boileau, a 13th-century book that cataloged the different trades and professions in Paris. In this text, the name "Porlier" is mentioned as a profession associated with gatekeepers and doormen.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Livre de la Taille, a tax record from Paris, indicating that individuals with the surname Porlier were living and working in the city during that time. The spelling variations found in these early records include "Porlier," "Portlier," and "Portelier."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Porlier was Pierre Porlier, who lived in the village of Montreuil-sur-Mer in northern France during the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Jean Porlier, a gatekeeper at the Château de Vincennes near Paris, who was mentioned in records from the early 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name Porlier was associated with the town of Sedan in northeastern France. Jacques Porlier (1522-1587), a merchant and landowner from Sedan, is recorded as one of the wealthiest individuals in the region during his lifetime.

As the name spread throughout France, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One notable individual was René Porlier (1738-1809), a French-Canadian explorer and fur trader who was instrumental in establishing trade routes and settlements in the Great Lakes region of North America.

Another individual of note was Auguste Porlier (1795-1873), a French-American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature and was involved in the early development of the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Other notable individuals with the surname Porlier include the French writer and poet Louis Porlier (1860-1924), the French painter and illustrator Émile Porlier (1866-1944), and the Canadian politician and lawyer Joseph-Édouard Porlier (1855-1932).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Porlier

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

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

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

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