2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Valier
A habitational surname derived from a place name in France or Italy.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Valier. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Valier surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Valier in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Valier, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.1%. The next largest groups are Black (20.0%) and Hispanic (9.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Valier
The surname Valier has its origins in France, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "valer," which means "to be worth" or "to be of value." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to individuals who were highly regarded or held in high esteem within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Valier can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Robert de Valier, indicating that the name had already spread beyond the borders of France by the late 11th century.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Valier name gained prominence in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. Several notable individuals bearing this surname emerged during this period, including Pierre Valier (c. 1190-1260), a renowned jurist and advisor to King Louis IX.
In the 14th century, the Valier family established a strong presence in the city of Valence, located in the Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. It is believed that the name may have derived from the Latin word "valentia," meaning "strength" or "courage," which could be associated with the city's historical significance as a fortified town.
One of the most prominent figures associated with the Valier surname was Jean Valier (1564-1628), a French diplomat and politician who served as the Ambassador of France to the Ottoman Empire during the reign of King Henry IV. His diplomatic efforts were instrumental in fostering trade and cultural exchange between France and the Ottoman Empire.
Another notable individual was François Valier (1676-1738), a French Catholic missionary and the first Bishop of Quebec, Canada. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Catholic Church in the New World and is recognized for his efforts in promoting education and social welfare among the indigenous populations.
In the 19th century, the Valier name gained recognition in the field of art and literature. Auguste Valier (1826-1896) was a renowned French painter and illustrator, known for his detailed depictions of rural life and landscapes. Meanwhile, Paul Valier (1841-1912) was a celebrated French author and playwright, whose works explored themes of love, family, and societal issues.
Throughout history, the Valier surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including politicians, religious leaders, artists, and intellectuals. While the name's origins can be traced back to France, its reach has extended far beyond the country's borders, leaving an indelible mark on various aspects of global culture and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Valier
Among Census respondents with the surname Valier, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.1%. The next largest groups are Black (20.0%) and Hispanic (9.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Valier bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Valier surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White69.1% · 76
- Black or African American20.0% · 22
- Hispanic or Latino9.1% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Valier
Valier appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-4 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,151 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,461 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.7%) | Down 14,151 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Up 5,461 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Valier surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #154,907 | #149,446 | 3.5% |
| Count | 105 | 110 | 4.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Valier bearers went from 105 to 110 (+4.8% change). The surname moved up 5,461 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #149,446.
FAQ
Valier surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Valier?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Valier. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Valier?
Valier ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Valier. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Valier.
Has Valier become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Valier went from 105 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 5 (+4.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Valier?
Among Census respondents with the surname Valier, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.1%. The next largest groups are Black (20.0%) and Hispanic (9.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Valier in the 2020 Census, accounting for 69.1% (76 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Valier appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (69.1%), Black (20.0%), Hispanic (9.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Valier (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Valier mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place name in France or Italy. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Valier (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Valier?
You can see how common the surname Valier is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.