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

Valette, 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 Valette surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valette in America

Valette is the 99378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valette surname appeared 182 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 Valette.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valette 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 Valette

The surname Valette originated in France and can be traced back to the early Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "val," meaning valley, and the diminutive suffix "-ette," indicating a small valley or a person living near a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Valette surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript record of a great survey commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name may have been present in Normandy and other parts of northern France before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the Valette family likely lived in or near a valley or small valley settlement. Some early variations of the spelling include Vallet, Vallette, and Valette. These variations were common due to inconsistent spelling practices and the influence of local dialects.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Guilhem de la Valette (born around 1220) was a French nobleman and military leader who participated in the Seventh Crusade. He is mentioned in several historical accounts of the time, including the chronicles of Jean de Joinville.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Jean Parisot de Valette (1494-1568), a French nobleman and 49th Grand Master of the Order of Malta. He is renowned for his defense of the island of Malta against the Ottoman Empire in the Great Siege of 1565, a pivotal event in Maltese history.

During the 16th century, the Valette surname also appeared in several place names, such as Valette-du-Var, a commune in the Var department of southeastern France, and Valette, a commune in the Cantal department of south-central France.

In the 17th century, Jacques de la Valette (1592-1642) was a French Jesuit missionary who worked in New France (present-day Canada) and is recognized for his efforts in converting indigenous peoples to Christianity.

Another notable figure was Louis de la Valette (1593-1639), a French nobleman and military commander who served as the Duke of Épernon and fought in the Thirty Years' War.

Over time, the Valette surname spread across France and beyond, with various branches of the family establishing themselves in different regions and countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valette

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

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

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

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