2000
#121,780
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Vallaire
A French surname derived from a place name referring to a valley or low-lying area.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 140 Americans carry the last name Vallaire. That puts it at #140,525 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,448,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vallaire 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
140
1 in 2,448,245
Census rank
#140,525
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
122
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 122 bearers of the surname Vallaire in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 140525th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vallaire, the largest self-reported group is White at 47.5%. The next largest groups are Black (41.8%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vallaire
The surname Vallaire originated in France, specifically in the region of Normandy, during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "val," meaning "valley," and likely referred to someone who lived in or near a valley.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vallaire can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and their properties in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have been among the Norman settlers who accompanied William during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
In the 12th century, the name Vallaire appeared in various charters and records from the Normandy region, often spelled as "Vallere" or "Vallière." These early spellings reflect the linguistic evolution of the name over time and its adaptation to different regional dialects.
One notable example of someone bearing the Vallaire surname is Pierre de Vallaire, a French military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War against the English during the 14th century. He played a significant role in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and is mentioned in several contemporary chronicles.
Another historical figure with the Vallaire surname is Jean-Baptiste Vallaire (1667-1739), a French engraver and illustrator known for his intricate etchings and engravings depicting religious scenes and portraits. His works can be found in various museums and collections across Europe.
In the 18th century, Marie-Anne Vallaire (1736-1808) gained recognition as a renowned French actress and playwright. She performed at the Comédie-Française in Paris and wrote several successful plays that were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.
Moving to the 19th century, Edmond Vallaire (1819-1892) was a prominent French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Church of Saint-Augustin and the Château de Versailles Theatre.
Lastly, Jeanne Vallaire (1875-1957) was a French sculptor and artist known for her intricate bronze sculptures depicting the human form. Her works were exhibited in several prestigious galleries and exhibitions throughout her career.
While the Vallaire surname has its roots in Normandy, France, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the medieval and early modern periods of French history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vallaire
Among Census respondents with the surname Vallaire, the largest self-reported group is White at 47.5%. The next largest groups are Black (41.8%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Vallaire 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 Vallaire surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White47.5% · 58
- Black or African American41.8% · 51
- Two or more races5.7% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vallaire
Vallaire 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-15 bearers (-11.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,369 places
2020
#140,525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+6 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,624 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,780 | 131 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.5%) | Down 21,369 places |
| 2020 | #140,525 | 122 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.2%) | Up 2,624 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 Vallaire 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 | #143,149 | #140,525 | 1.8% |
| Count | 116 | 122 | 5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vallaire bearers went from 116 to 122 (+5.2% change). The surname moved up 2,624 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #140,525.
FAQ
Vallaire surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vallaire?
Name Census estimates that about 140 living Americans carry the surname Vallaire. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,448,245 residents.
How common is Vallaire?
Vallaire ranks #140,525 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 122 people with the surname Vallaire. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (140), 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 Vallaire.
Has Vallaire become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vallaire went from 116 recorded bearers to 122. That is an increase of 6 (+5.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #143,149 to #140,525.
What does the Census say about the background of Vallaire?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vallaire, the largest self-reported group is White at 47.5%. The next largest groups are Black (41.8%) and Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Vallaire in the 2020 Census, accounting for 47.5% (58 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vallaire appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (47.5%), Black (41.8%), Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Vallaire (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 Vallaire mean?
A French surname derived from a place name referring to a valley or low-lying area. 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 Vallaire (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 many people have the surname Vallaire?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.