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

Provence, 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 Provence surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Provence in America

Provence is the 26671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Provence surname appeared 913 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 Provence.

We can also compare 2010 data for Provence 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 Provence

The surname Provence originates from the historical region of Provence in southern France, situated along the Mediterranean coast. It likely emerged as a locational surname, denoting someone who hailed from or resided in this picturesque area known for its lavender fields, vineyards, and coastal towns.

The name Provence itself derives from the Latin word "Provincia," which referred to the Roman province established in this region during the 1st century BC. This Latin term translates to "province" or "conquered land," reflecting the area's incorporation into the Roman Empire.

In medieval records, various spellings of the surname can be found, such as Provance, Provaunce, and Provencia. One notable appearance is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Roger de Provence is listed as holding estates in Somerset, England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Guillaume de Provence, a prominent troubadour and nobleman who lived in the 13th century (c. 1210-1276). He was known for his poetic works and contributions to the courtly love tradition in literature.

Another notable figure was René of Anjou (1409-1480), also known as René d'Anjou or René I of Naples. He was a prominent figure during the Renaissance period, serving as the Count of Provence and King of Naples, among other titles. He was renowned for his patronage of the arts and his own artistic pursuits.

In the 16th century, Claude de Lorraine, Duke of Guise (1496-1550), was a prominent military leader and nobleman from the House of Lorraine. He was also known as Claude de Guise or Claude de Provence, reflecting his familial ties to the region.

During the 17th century, François de Provence (1620-1687) was a French painter and engraver, known for his landscapes and architectural illustrations. He was born in Provence and spent a significant part of his career in the region.

In more recent history, Marcel Pagnol (1895-1974) was a renowned French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker, celebrated for his works depicting the life and culture of Provence. His literary masterpieces, such as the novels "Jean de Florette" and "Manon des Sources," brought the essence of Provence to life on the page and screen.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who carried the surname Provence, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of this region in southern France.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Provence

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

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

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

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