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

Prévost, 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 Prévost surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prévost in America

Prévost is the 7831st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prévost surname appeared 4,228 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Prévost.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prévost 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 Prévost

The surname Prevost originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "prevost," which means "provost" or "overseer." The name initially referred to an administrative official or civil servant who held a position of authority within a particular region or town.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Prevost can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of France, including Normandy, Île-de-France, and Picardy. One notable example is found in the Cartulaire de Notre-Dame de Paris, a medieval manuscript from the 12th century, which mentions a certain Radulfus Prevost.

In the 13th century, the name Prevost appeared in several historical records, such as the Trésor des Chartes and the Rôles de l'Échiquier de Normandie, indicating its widespread use across different parts of France. During this period, the name was often associated with individuals who held positions of authority or prominence within their respective communities.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Prevost was Sir John Prevost (1280-1349), a Norman knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War. Another notable figure was Jacques Prevost (1540-1596), a French poet and translator who gained recognition for his works during the Renaissance era.

In the 17th century, the name Prevost gained further prominence with individuals like François Prevost (1617-1678), a French historian and author known for his works on the history of Normandy. Additionally, Antoine François Prevost (1697-1763), a French novelist and author, is renowned for his literary masterpiece "Manon Lescaut."

The name Prevost has also been associated with various place names throughout France, such as Prevost-Paradol, a commune in the Ain department, and Prevost-sur-Aisne, a commune in the Ardennes department. These place names likely originated from individuals or families bearing the Prevost surname who held significant influence or ownership in those regions.

Over the centuries, the surname Prevost has undergone various spelling variations, including Prevost, Prévost, Prévot, and Prévau, reflecting regional linguistic differences and the evolution of the French language. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its distinct identity and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prévost

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

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

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

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