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

Rigaud, 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 Rigaud surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rigaud in America

Rigaud is the 34272nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rigaud surname appeared 662 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 Rigaud.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rigaud 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 Rigaud

The surname Rigaud originated in France, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to derive from the Old French word "rigaut," which means "playful" or "mischievous." This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname given to someone with a lively or jocular personality.

In its early days, the name was most prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Île-de-France. Variations in spelling, such as Rigault and Rigaut, were common in medieval times due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rigaud can be found in the Cartulary of Saint-Père de Chartres, a medieval manuscript dating back to the late 12th century. This document mentions a certain Robertus Rigaut, who was a landowner in the region.

The name gained further prominence in the 14th century, with the rise of Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743), a renowned French painter known for his portraits of European aristocracy and royalty. His most famous work is the portrait of Louis XIV, which hangs in the Louvre Museum.

Another notable figure with the surname Rigaud was Jacques Rigaud (1698-1763), a French astronomer and geodesist who played a significant role in the measurement of the meridian arc between Dunkirk and Barcelona, a crucial endeavor for determining the precise shape of the Earth.

In the 19th century, Jean-Baptiste Rigaud (1777-1852) made his mark as a French general who served under Napoleon Bonaparte and later became a Member of Parliament during the July Monarchy.

The name also has ties to certain place names in France, such as Rigaud, a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and Rigaudière, a hamlet in the Dordogne region.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Rigaud include:

1. Benoît Rigaud (1761-1811), a French naval officer and explorer who conducted explorations in the Pacific Ocean.
2. Josette Rigaud (1926-2022), a French actress and singer known for her roles in numerous films and stage productions.
3. Michel Rigaud (born 1936), a French filmmaker and screenwriter, best known for his work on films such as "Le Petit Criminel" and "Le Grand Frère."

Throughout its history, the surname Rigaud has maintained a strong presence in France, while also spreading to other regions through migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rigaud

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

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

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

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