2000
#34,210
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 627
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.23
Very Rare Last name
Villard
A locational surname derived from a place name in France.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 902 Americans carry the last name Villard. That puts it at #31,504 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 379,994 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Villard 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
902
1 in 379,994
Census rank
#31,504
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
787
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 787 bearers of the surname Villard in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 31504th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Villard, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.4%. The next largest groups are Black (33.5%) and Hispanic (9.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Villard
The surname Villard originated in France, with its roots dating back to medieval times. It is derived from the Old French word "ville," meaning "town" or "village," combined with the suffix "-ard," often used to denote a person's occupation or place of origin.
The name was initially borne by individuals who lived in or were associated with a particular town or village. This could have been due to their place of birth, residency, or profession. Variations in spelling, such as Villart and Villarts, existed during the early stages of its usage.
One of the earliest known references to the name Villard can be found in the Cartulary of the Abbey of Saint-Victor in Marseille, dated around the 11th century. This medieval manuscript mentions individuals bearing the surname, indicating their presence in the region at that time.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Jacques Villard (c. 1220-1292) gained recognition as a prominent architect and sculptor. He is best known for his contributions to the construction of the Cathédrale Saint-Trophime in Arles, France.
During the 14th century, the name appeared in various historical records across different regions of France. For instance, Guillaume Villard (c. 1320-1390) was a respected lawyer and legal advisor to the French monarchy.
The 15th century saw the emergence of another notable Villard, Jean Villard (c. 1440-1508), a renowned French humanist and scholar. He was known for his translations of ancient Greek texts and his work in promoting classical literature during the Renaissance period.
In the 16th century, the name was associated with the Villard family, a prominent noble clan from the region of Normandy. One of their notable members, René Villard (1532-1610), served as a military commander and played a significant role in the French Wars of Religion.
Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, Henri Villard (1835-1900) gained fame as a financier and railroad tycoon. Born in Germany, he later emigrated to the United States and became involved in the development of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Throughout its history, the surname Villard has been linked to various place names and localities across France, such as Villard-de-Lans, Villard-sur-Doron, and Villard-Bonnot, among others. These place names often incorporated the word "Villard," reflecting the surname's origins and the potential connection between individuals and specific towns or villages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Villard
Among Census respondents with the surname Villard, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.4%. The next largest groups are Black (33.5%) and Hispanic (9.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Villard 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 Villard surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White52.4% · 412
- Black or African American33.5% · 264
- Hispanic or Latino9.8% · 77
- Two or more races4.1% · 32
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Villard
Villard 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
#31,994
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 721
+94 bearers (+15.0%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Up 2,216 places
2020
#31,504
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 787
+66 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Up 490 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #34,210 | 627 | 0.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #31,994 | 721 | 0.24 | +94 bearers (+15.0%) | Up 2,216 places |
| 2020 | #31,504 | 787 | 0.26 | +66 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 490 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 Villard 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 | #31,994 | #31,504 | 1.5% |
| Count | 721 | 787 | 9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 0.26 | 9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Villard bearers went from 721 to 787 (+9.2% change). The surname moved up 490 positions in the national ranking, going from #31,994 to #31,504.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Villard
FAQ
Villard surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Villard?
Name Census estimates that about 902 living Americans carry the surname Villard. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 379,994 residents.
How common is Villard?
Villard ranks #31,504 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.26 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 787 people with the surname Villard. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (902), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.26 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 Villard.
Has Villard become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Villard went from 721 recorded bearers to 787. That is an increase of 66 (+9.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #31,994 to #31,504.
What does the Census say about the background of Villard?
Among Census respondents with the surname Villard, the largest self-reported group is White at 52.4%. The next largest groups are Black (33.5%) and Hispanic (9.8%). 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 Villard in the 2020 Census, accounting for 52.4% (412 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Villard appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (52.4%), Black (33.5%), Hispanic (9.8%). 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 Villard (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 Villard mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name in France. 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 Villard (0.26 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 Villard?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.