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

Valois, 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 Valois surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valois in America

Valois is the 22173rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valois surname appeared 1,165 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 Valois.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valois 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 Valois

The surname Valois originated in France and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is derived from the name of the town of Valois, located in the northern region of Île-de-France, about 35 kilometers northeast of Paris. The name Valois itself is believed to come from the Latin word "vallis," meaning valley, referring to the geographic location of the town in a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Valois can be found in historical documents from the 14th century, when the Valois dynasty ruled France. This royal house took its name from the County of Valois, which was a feudal territory centered around the town of the same name. The Valois dynasty produced several notable figures, including King Philip VI (1293-1350), who was the first monarch from this line.

During the Middle Ages, the Valois surname was associated with the nobility and aristocracy, as it was closely tied to the ruling dynasty. However, over time, the name spread beyond the royal lineage and was adopted by commoners in various regions of France. This led to variations in spelling, such as Vallois, Valloys, and Valoys.

In the 16th century, the Valois surname gained further prominence with the birth of Henry III of France (1551-1589), who was the last monarch of the Valois dynasty. He was known for his lavish lifestyle and patronage of the arts, but his reign was also marked by religious conflicts and civil unrest.

Another notable figure with the Valois surname was Charles de Valois (1270-1325), who was the son of King Philip III of France and the founder of the House of Valois. He was a skilled military commander and played a crucial role in the conflicts between France and England during the early stages of the Hundred Years' War.

Marguerite de Valois (1553-1615) was a French princess and the wife of King Henry IV of France. She was known for her literary talents and wrote several memoirs, including her famous "Mémoires de la Reine Marguerite," which provided insights into the court life and political intrigues of the time.

In the realm of literature, the Valois surname is associated with the French writer and poet Jacques Vallée, Seigneur des Barreaux (1599-1673), who was known for his libertine lifestyle and philosophical works.

While the surname Valois has its roots in French nobility and royalty, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Canada, the United States, and other countries with significant French cultural influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valois

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

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

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

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