2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Preseau
A French surname derived from the term "près d'eau" meaning "near water."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Preseau. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Preseau surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Preseau in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Preseau, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (11.2%) and Two or More Races (9.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Preseau
Among Census respondents with the surname Preseau, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (11.2%) and Two or More Races (9.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Preseau bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Preseau surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.9% · 78
- American Indian and Alaska Native11.2% · 12
- Two or more races9.3% · 10
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Preseau
Preseau appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+12 bearers (+10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,430 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-15 bearers (-12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,312 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+10.9%) | Up 2,430 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-12.3%) | Down 14,312 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Preseau surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #137,327 | #151,639 | -10.4% |
| Count | 122 | 107 | -12.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Preseau bearers went from 122 to 107 (-12.3% change). The surname moved down 14,312 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #151,639.
FAQ
Preseau surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Preseau?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Preseau. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Preseau?
Preseau ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Preseau. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Preseau.
Has Preseau become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Preseau went from 122 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 15 (-12.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Preseau?
Among Census respondents with the surname Preseau, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.9%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (11.2%) and Two or More Races (9.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Preseau in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.9% (78 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Preseau appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (11.2%), Two or More Races (9.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Preseau (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Preseau mean?
A French surname derived from the term "près d'eau" meaning "near water." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Preseau (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Preseau?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Preseau on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.