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

Veilleux, 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 Veilleux surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Veilleux in America

Veilleux is the 12692nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Veilleux surname appeared 2,433 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Veilleux.

We can also compare 2010 data for Veilleux 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 Veilleux

The surname Veilleux originated in France, particularly in the region of Poitou. It is derived from the Old French word "veilleur," meaning "watchman" or "guard." This occupation-based surname is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, between the 11th and 15th centuries.

The earliest known records of the Veilleux surname date back to the 13th century in the Poitou region. One notable mention is found in a document from 1289, which refers to a "Jean Veilleux" who served as a watchman for a local lord.

As the Veilleux family spread across France, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as Veilleaux, Veilliaux, and Veillau. Some of these variants were likely influenced by local dialects and pronunciation differences.

The Veilleux surname has ties to several place names in France, including Veilleuse, a commune in the Cantal department, and Veilleuse-de-Tronçais, a hamlet in the Allier department. These place names may have contributed to the adoption of the surname by families residing in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Veilleux surname. One such person was Jean Veilleux (1638-1708), a French-Canadian colonist and pioneer who settled in Quebec in the 17th century. Another was Pierre Veilleux (1740-1823), a French-Canadian farmer and militia captain during the American Revolutionary War.

Other prominent individuals with the Veilleux surname include:

1. Gérard Veilleux (1942-2017), a Canadian businessman and former CEO of the Montreal Stock Exchange.
2. Sylvain Veilleux (born 1981), a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for several NHL teams, including the Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning.
3. Denise Veilleux (born 1949), a Canadian film and television actress known for her roles in "Bon Cop, Bad Cop" and "Mémoires vives."
4. Jean-Marie Veilleux (1911-1994), a Canadian Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Nicolet from 1967 to 1987.
5. Gilles Veilleux (born 1948), a Canadian artist and sculptor known for his large-scale public artworks in cities across Canada.

The Veilleux surname has a rich history rooted in the occupation of watchmen and guards in medieval France. While its origins trace back to the Poitou region, the name has since spread worldwide, with notable individuals bearing this surname contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Veilleux

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

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

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

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