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

Rioux, 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 Rioux surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rioux in America

Rioux is the 11728th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rioux surname appeared 2,672 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 Rioux.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rioux 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 Rioux

The surname Rioux originates from France and is believed to have derived from the Old French word "rieu," which means a small stream or a brook. It was likely a topographic name given to someone who lived near a small stream.

The name first appeared in the historical records in the 12th century, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. Some early records mention variations in spelling, such as Rieu, Rieus, and Rieus.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Guillaume Rioux, a Norman knight who participated in the Third Crusade in the late 12th century. Another historical figure was Jean Rioux, a prominent merchant from Rouen, who is mentioned in records from the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Rioux appears in the records of the Huguenot refugees who fled religious persecution in France and settled in various parts of Europe and North America. One notable Huguenot with this surname was Pierre Rioux, who settled in New Amsterdam (present-day New York) in the mid-17th century.

The name Rioux has also been associated with several place names in France, such as Rieux-en-Cambrésis in the Nord department and Rieux-Volvestre in the Haute-Garonne department. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Some notable individuals with the surname Rioux throughout history include:

1. Jean-Baptiste Rioux (1766-1828), a French military officer and explorer who served under Napoleon.

2. Louis-Victor Rioux (1825-1891), a French painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and portraits.

3. Édouard Rioux (1833-1900), a French author and journalist who wrote extensively on cultural and political topics.

4. Marcel Rioux (1919-1992), a Canadian sociologist and anthropologist who made significant contributions to the study of Quebec society.

5. Benoît Rioux (born 1957), a Canadian actor and filmmaker known for his work in both French and English-language productions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rioux

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

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

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

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