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

Robitaille, 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 Robitaille surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Robitaille in America

Robitaille is the 11968th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Robitaille surname appeared 2,611 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 Robitaille.

We can also compare 2010 data for Robitaille 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 Robitaille

The surname Robitaille is of French origin, originating in the northern regions of France during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French words "robe" and "tailleur," which translates to "robe maker" or "tailor." This connection to the tailoring profession suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely involved in the clothing trade.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Robitaille can be found in the 13th-century records of the Normandy region. The name appears with various spellings, such as Robitaille, Robytaille, and Robytaillye, reflecting the phonetic variations of the time. These early records often mention individuals from small villages or hamlets, indicating the rural origins of the name.

In the 16th century, the Robitaille surname began to appear more frequently in parish records and local chronicles across northern France. Notable figures from this period include Jean Robitaille (c. 1530-1598), a respected tailor and merchant from the town of Amiens, and Marie Robitaille (c. 1560-1622), who was recorded as the wife of a prominent landowner in the village of Arras.

As the French colonial empire expanded in the 17th and 18th centuries, many Robitailles immigrated to the Americas, particularly to the regions of Quebec and Acadia (present-day Atlantic Canada). One of the earliest documented Robitailles in the New World was Pierre Robitaille (1642-1712), who settled in Quebec City and became a successful fur trader and landowner.

Another notable figure was Jacques Robitaille (1705-1778), a farmer and militia captain who played a role in the defense of Quebec during the French and Indian War. His descendant, Ludger Robitaille (1813-1888), was a prominent businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Robitaille name continued to be associated with various professions and walks of life. Some notable individuals include:

1. Théodore Robitaille (1834-1919), a renowned French-Canadian architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Quebec.
2. Émile Robitaille (1866-1942), a journalist and author who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Quebec.
3. Léon Robitaille (1875-1955), a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded several charitable organizations in Montreal.
4. Fernand Robitaille (1900-1972), a respected lawyer and judge who served on the Superior Court of Quebec.
5. Lucien Robitaille (1910-1993), a renowned linguist and professor who made significant contributions to the study of the French language in Canada.

While the Robitaille surname is most prevalent in Canada, particularly in the province of Quebec, it can also be found in other parts of the world where French settlers and immigrants established communities, such as the United States, France, and various countries in the Caribbean and South America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Robitaille

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

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

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

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