Preseau last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Preseau

A French surname derived from the term "près d'eau" meaning "near water."

Preseau, 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 Preseau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Preseau in America

Preseau is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Preseau surname appeared 122 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 Preseau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Preseau 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 137327 139757 -1.75%
Count 122 110 10.34%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.04 0.00%

The history of the last name Preseau

The surname Preseau is of French origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century in the northern regions of France, particularly Normandy and Brittany. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "preseau," which referred to a small meadow or pasture, suggesting that the name may have originally been an occupational name for someone who worked or lived near such an area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Preseau name can be found in the parish records of Avranches, Normandy, dating back to 1587. These records mention a Jean Preseau, who was a local landowner in the area. Additionally, the name appears in the Livre d'Or de la Noblesse Française, a historical record of French nobility, indicating that some individuals bearing the Preseau surname were part of the noble class during that time period.

In the 17th century, the Preseau name can be traced to various locations across northern France, including Rouen, Caen, and Rennes. During this era, the name underwent several variations in spelling, such as Presault, Prezeau, and Presot, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.

One notable individual with the Preseau surname was Jacques Preseau (1608-1672), a renowned French painter and engraver who worked in the Baroque style. His works, including religious paintings and portraits, can be found in various churches and museums throughout France.

Another prominent figure was Marie-Anne Preseau (1720-1795), a French writer and poet who gained recognition for her literary works during the Age of Enlightenment. Her poetry collection, "Les Fleurs du Printemps," published in 1754, was highly acclaimed and contributed to the cultural and intellectual discourse of the time.

In the 19th century, the Preseau name continued to be present in various parts of France. One notable example is Jean-Baptiste Preseau (1817-1889), a French architect who was instrumental in the design and construction of several notable buildings in Paris, including the iconic Palais Garnier, the primary opera house in the city.

Additionally, the name Preseau can be found in historical records related to the French Revolution, with some individuals bearing this surname participating in the revolutionary movements of the late 18th century.

While the Preseau surname has its origins in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and migration patterns, particularly to North America and other French-speaking regions. However, its historical roots and significance remain deeply rooted in the French heritage and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Preseau

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

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 Preseau was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 74.59% 91
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 12.30% 15
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 5.74% 7
Hispanic Origin 4.92% 6

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 Preseau has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 74.59% 75.45% -1.15%
Black (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 12.30% 13.64% -10.33%
Two or More Races 5.74% 7.27% -23.52%
Hispanic 4.92% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Preseau last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 3, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/preseau-surname-popularity/.

"Preseau last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/preseau-surname-popularity/. Accessed 3 July, 2025

Preseau last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/preseau-surname-popularity/.

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