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

Valence, 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 Valence surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valence in America

Valence is the 113791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valence surname appeared 154 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 Valence.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valence 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 Valence

The surname Valence originated in France during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "valence," which referred to a town or territory governed by a powerful feudal lord known as a "valence." The name is associated with the town of Valence in the Drôme department of southeastern France.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Valence can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror in 1086. The document mentions a landowner named Walter de Valence, who held estates in several counties.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Aymer de Valence (c. 1265-1324) served as a military commander and nobleman under King Edward I of England. He played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence and was appointed as the Earl of Pembroke in 1307.

Another notable bearer of the Valence surname was Jean de Valence (c. 1330-1380), a French knight who fought alongside the Black Prince during the Hundred Years' War. He distinguished himself in battles against the English and was later captured and ransomed.

The name Valence is also associated with the town of Valence in Tarn, France, which gave rise to the surname variants Valence-sur-Tarn and Valence-d'Albigeois. In the 16th century, a French poet and playwright named Jean de La Valence (c. 1520-1580) hailed from this region and gained recognition for his works.

During the 17th century, a French nobleman named Henri de Valence (1603-1676) served as a military commander and governor of several provinces in France. He played a crucial role in the Fronde, a series of civil wars that occurred during the minority of King Louis XIV.

While the surname Valence originated in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. It has also undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Valance, Vallance, and Vallence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valence

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

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

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

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