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

Rigal, 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 Rigal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rigal in America

Rigal is the 75069th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rigal surname appeared 257 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 Rigal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rigal 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 Rigal

The surname Rigal is believed to have originated in France and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "rigole," which means "a small stream or ditch." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a small stream or ditch.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Rigal can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England conducted in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The entry records a person named Rigal holding land in the county of Hertfordshire.

During the 13th century, the name Rigal appeared in various records across different regions of France. For instance, in 1263, a certain Guilhem Rigal was mentioned in a document from the town of Albi, located in the southwestern region of France.

In the 14th century, the name Rigal emerged in various spellings, such as Rigault and Rigaud, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common in those times. One notable figure from this period was Jean Rigal, a French lawyer and magistrate who lived from 1325 to 1395.

By the 15th century, the surname Rigal had spread to other parts of Europe, including Italy and Spain. In 1472, a record from the city of Venice mentions a merchant named Antonio Rigal, who was involved in the lucrative spice trade with the East.

Moving into the 16th century, the name Rigal gained prominence in certain regions of France. One of the most famous individuals bearing this surname was François Rigal, a French writer and philosopher who lived from 1515 to 1587. His works on ethics and philosophy garnered significant attention during his lifetime.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Rigal continued to be documented across various parts of Europe. In the 18th century, a notable figure was Jean-Baptiste Rigal, a French artist and engraver who was born in 1724 and died in 1799. His engravings and etchings were highly regarded and can be found in numerous art collections.

Another prominent individual with the surname Rigal was Eugène Rigal, a French literary critic and professor who lived from 1838 to 1908. His contributions to the study of French literature and his analysis of works by notable authors such as Honoré de Balzac and Victor Hugo were highly influential in academic circles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rigal

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

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

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

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